Tools of fibre processing and cloth finishing in Anglo-Scandinavian York. Textile making was a common domestic activity throughout the 5th to 10th century in Europe, so it’s not unusual for archaeologists to find a loom weight or a spindle whorl in Early Medieval sites. The Coppergate site in York has been extraordinary, however, for the …
Continue reading Archaeology of Textile Making at Coppergate – 2
Tools for spinning and weaving in Anglo Scandinavian York. The archaeological site of Coppergate is an exceptional source of textile working materials over an evolving period of many centuries. This extraordinary site is located within the city of York, in the north of England. Enclosed between two rivers, the Ouse and the Foss, it borders …
Continue reading Archaeology of Textile Making at Coppergate – 1
As archaeologists uncovered bog bodies in Northern Europe dating to the Bronze Age and Iron Age, there was quite a variety of clothing found on the bodies, often very well preserved. Evidence of woolen garments was widespread, along with animal hides and plant fibres such as linen. The acidic bog environment presents a preservation bias …
I have been looking forward to making a bog coat for a long time! It feels like the ultimate combination of archaeology and weaving, and in the aim of making a useful piece of clothing. In fact I think I may make another different bog coat next month - I have a couple of blankets …
Weaving is an ancient craft, and an early solution to countless practical needs. In Iraq and Turkey, archaeologists have discovered clay fragments with the impression of woven cloth pressed into them, dating from the Neolithic period as early as 7000 BCE (Barber, 1994). And long before that, humans were intertwining grasses, reeds and branches to …
Celtic Weaving 