In medieval times, a tax or fee paid for the right to carve meat at a royal or noble table, or the office itself.
From Middle English carve plus the suffix -age (meaning a tax, fee, or system). Related to the Old French carver and Latin carapus, this reflected the prestige of the carving position in feudal society.
The person with the carvage job wasn't just cutting meat—carving techniques were an art form, a status symbol showing rank and skill, and some medieval carvings were so elaborate they took years to master, making it literally a valuable position.
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