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In this article we will point to the similarity between the decoration on Cypriot White Slip (WS) I and II pottery and contemporary 15th–14th-century BCE "Syrian" elite garments shown in 18th Dynasty Egyptian tombs. Depiction of men and women in the tombs of Rekhmire (TT100), Sobekhotep (TT63), Menkheperraseneb (TT86), and Anen (TT120) show white clothes decorated with both vertical and horizontal elements, with dotted and wavy additions. Such elements find direct parallels in the WS I decorative "vocabulary." We will examine the possibility that the Cypriot WS pottery imitates elite linen clothing produced during the international Late Bronze Age, some even on Cyprus, as indicated by the mention of "linen of Alashiya" (gaduruAlašiya) in Hittite inventory texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of textile colors in ancient China's rich history of twenty-four solar terms holds profound cultural and historical significance. Each solar term marks a unique period in the agricultural cycle and cultural calendar, and textile colors play a pivotal role in reflecting the spirit and essence of these periods. Among all the solar terms, Start of Spring stands out as a symbol of new life and renewal, with the vibrant hue of "cyan" occupying a central position. This study explores the intricate entanglements between festival customs, textile color lore, and the meticulous delineation of the textile hue "cyan", striving to shed new light on the ancient color system and nurture a profounder admiration for the rich tapestry of traditional Chinese culture. By examining ancient texts and historical records, we embark on a journey to uncover the dual strands of official and folk etiquette and custom that greet the start of spring. These rituals, steeped in centuries of tradition and culture, serve as a window into the ancient textile color paradigm and the interpretation of "cyan" during this auspicious time. The official rites, often elaborate and ceremonial, reflect the importance of the start of spring. while the folk customs provide a more intimate and everyday connection to "cyan" and its significance. The study also delves into the contemporary expression of the cyan hue, examining how this ancient color has been reinterpreted and appropriated in modern society. From art and culture, the color cyan continues to resonate with people. connecting them to their past and cultural heritage. This exploration highlights the enduring relevance of traditional colors in modern contexts and their potential to inspire and inform contemporary creativity. To facilitate a deeper understanding of the ancient cyan hue, we propose a comparative framework rooted in the modern color system. This internationally recognized system, renowned for its precision and scientific rigor, provides a valuable tool for analyzing and comparing the ancient hue with modern equivalents. By examining the range of colors within the system, we gain a clearer picture of how the ancient cyan hue fits into the broader spectrum of blues and blue-greens. This comparative analysis helps us appreciate the nuances and subtleties of the ancient color, as well as its unique position within the color hue. Our research reveals that textile cyan holds profound symbolic significance in the rituals and customs surrounding Start of Spring. In ancient times, when referring to textiles, "cyan" primarily encompassed the rich blue hues derived from natural indigo dyeing. This hue, in the PCCS color system, falls within the spectrum of blue to blue-green, and is characterized by its moderate saturation and brightness. It reflects a harmonious blend of nature and art, embodying the essence of spring and renewal. By studying this ancient hue, we gain a deeper understanding of the role of textiles in ancient Chinese society and their significance in connecting past with present. Textiles were not merely utilitarian objects; they were also cultural carriers that transmitted values, beliefs, and aesthetic preferences. The color cyan became a powerful symbol of renewal, growth, and prosperity. embodying the essence of spring and its promise of new beginnings. In conclusion, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of textile colors in ancient China, with a focus on the symbolic significance of the cyan hue during Start of Spring. By delving into the intricate interplay between festival culture, textile color traditions, and the nuanced definition of "cyan", we uncover fresh perspectives on the ancient color system and foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of Chinese traditional culture. The study also highlights the enduring relevance of traditional colors in modern contexts and their potential to inspire and inform contemporary creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advanced Textile Technology is the property of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Magazines and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Loom weights are difficult to date as they are fairly consistent in weight and shape over long periods. This article discusses the dating of 194 light loom weights with no contextual data from Szâzhalombatta, Hungary. The aim of this paper is to present previously unpublished material and identify the period to which the textile tools belong. It shows that the light loom weights in this study most likely belong to the Hallstatt period based on the find site's characteristics and comparison with loom weights from dated contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 18 medieval textiles produced in Asia and the Middle East were found in the tomb of St Wenceslaus and the royal crypt in St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, Czech Republic. For the most part, the fabrics correspond to contemporary classifications of Asian and Middle Eastern textiles and, with the exception of two, they were woven using the lampas technique from pure silk. Fabric patterns were woven with a main liseré weft, a silk pattern weft in various colours and a pattern metal weft, typically from a gilded strip of an animal substrate. Plant patterns dominate, in some cases accompanied by animals, geometric elements and inscriptions in Arabic script. Most of the fabrics were made in the 13th and 14th centuries. While the origin of one of the fabrics can be traced directly to northern China, the majority was woven in central Asia or northern China, with a smaller number in central Asia or the Middle East. The interpretation of the assemblage demonstrates the wealth of the medieval court and church dignitaries under the Premyslid and Luxembourg rulers at Prague Castle which enabled them to acquire these highly luxurious goods from distant lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luistari cemetery in southwestern Finland, is one of the most significant Iron Age and Early Medieval period (seventh to 15th centuries CE) sites with nearly 1,300 excavated inhumation burials. The cemetery has been of great importance for textile research because of the cloth fragments preserved in contact with metal items. The first scientific reconstruction of dress in Finland, the ancient dress of Eura, was based on finds from the 11th century female Grave 56. This paper presents the rich fur and hair finds preserved in Grave 56. The hair and fibre material was identified by their morphological features, using polarised light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is suggested that fur was used for furnishing the grave and for accessories such as a knife sheath and a pouch. The possible remains of fur garments which enhance the current understanding of the outfit of the woman in Grave 56 are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents late Celtic and Roman textile tools from the territory of Dorno, a small town in northern Italy. Sheep shearing and spinning are very well documented activities at this site with 21 pairs of iron shears and 88 clay spindle whorls recorded. These implements come from burial contexts dating from between the second century BCE and the first century CE. The spindle whorls show a great variety of shapes and weights, and, with their large number, they contribute to an understanding of the local economy. The association of textile tools with other burial goods, in both men's and women's graves, provides further information not only about the role of the textile industry within this community but also about social organisation and burial rituals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of textile tools from two Early Iron Age sites in northern Croatia. The results of their analysis outline the current state of research into textile production in the Early Iron Age Pozega Valley. A total of about 200 finds from both settlement and funerary contexts provide insights into a diverse range of shapes and sizes of loom weights, spindle whorls and spools. These suggest that the site at Kaptol was a settlement where textiles were produced in large numbers. Diversity among the textile tools suggests that woven textiles came in different sizes and were made from yarns of different qualities, reflecting the creativity and innovation of the Hallstatt world. A fragment of a burned wooden beam with three oblique, oval holes, next to a set of loom weights could be the remains of a loom. Spindle whorls and loom weights also appear as grave goods where they might be gender and status indicators with important symbolic value. They may also be related to different levels of skill and specialisation within the process of textile production. If that is the case, the process of textile production itself had symbolic value in Early Iron Age Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two pairs of silk knitted gloves from the graves of abbesses of St George's convent in Prague Castle, Czech Republic, were compared. Both pairs are decorated with similar knitted-in patterns in metallic yarn, but they differ significantly in the kniWng methods used and the skills of their creators. The gloves of Abbess Isidora Konstancie Roudnickâ (died 1731) were shaped by irregular increases and decreases using various methods and uneven yarn tension which resulted in a variety of loop sizes. In contrast, the gloves of Abbess Aloisie Theresie von Widmann (died 1735) were shaped only with right decreases and left raised increases placed in neat lines producing knitted fabric which is dense and even. The most interesting features of the gloves are the slits in the thumbs and the first two fingers of Abbess Isidora's gloves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An examination of textile finds from Meinarti led to a new identification of pieces of textile, including fragments of furnishing textiles, most likely carpets, previously unnoticed in the assemblage. This new evidence expands the available knowledge about textiles for furniture in medieval Nubia. The article describes the technical features of the fabrics and discusses their potential social and economic value in the archaeological context and during the specific historical period of the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on a loincloth found in situ on the skeleton of an Early Medieval male buried on the Nubian island of Sai, in northern Sudan, dated to the seventh to ninth centuries BCE. This loincloth differs from most contemporary textile production because it was woven in a triangular form and probably using threads made from dromedary wool. It exhibits several phases of repair and reuse until its burial with the body. This garment therefore illustrates the textile expertise and clothing practices of the ancient Nubians, as well as the cultural role of textiles in funerary rituals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the excavation of a Bronze Age cremation on Dartmoor, Devon (UK), the remains of a braided band of cow hair with metallic studs were found. A study of the braid structure was made using magnified digital images. Braiding was carried out with tail hair from two heritage breeds of cattle, using construction methods considered the most appropriate, given the age of the braid. Comparison of both the practicalities of the braiding process and the resultant structures leads to a conclusion that loop manipulation was the most likely method of production of this artefact in the Bronze Age although free-end braiding remains a possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the history of textiles in museums and their significance to cultural heritage. Topics include an increase in the rate of survival of textiles from antiquity as well as their later integration into museum collections, a brief history of collecting and exhibiting textiles since the 16th-century, and ways in which different museums exhibited textiles. Also discussed is the inclusion of textile exhibition reviews in the pages of "Textile History."

In an excavation carried out in 1968 four headdresses dating from the early to first half of the 16th century were discovered in a crypt in the parish church of Lienz in East Tyrol (Austria). All four headdresses are remarkably well preserved and two of them reveal techniques that are surprising considering the early date. A hairnet with macramé knots and a coif adorned with bobbin lace most likely date before 1509 making them the earliest extant examples of macramé and bobbin lace to date. This paper gives an account of the finds and considers the implications these headdresses might have on the history of lace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea silk, derived from the beard of the Pinna nobilis clam, has often been described in historical sources, but only rarely identified scientifically in extant textiles. This paper describes the microscopy of the fibres in a textile held in the Cuming Collection at the Natural History Museum in London. The textile is a compound weave that incorporates yarns made of sea silk, ordinary cultivated silk and a fine animal coat fibre. The fibres were identified by a combination of transmitted-light, polarised-light and scanning electron microscopy. There is little documentation concerning the origin of the piece, but it is likely to be18th-century Italian and may have come from a waistcoat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organisation of textile production in medieval England underwent a dramatic transition between roughly the tenth and 12th centuries. These changes, which include the formation of weaving guilds and the evolution of weaving as a maledominated trade, are typically attributed to the adoption of a new, more efficient style of loom. In order to critically examine the role of technology during this transitional period, an experiment was designed to compare the relative efficiency of two different types of loom in use during the Middle Ages. The experiment yielded interesting timed results and experiential observations, which indicate a difference in the skill level required by each loom, suggesting a complicated relationship between gender, new technology, and the perception of skill in medieval England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis of textiles from the tenth century Mongolian rock burial of Üzüür Gyalan. It is the only undisturbed rock burial discovered to date and presents a unique opportunity to examine a complete set of grave goods, both organic and inorganic, included in a Medieval horse-accompanied burial. The high degree of preservation and the prevalence of woven wool textiles set it apart from other rock burials where silk, sheepskin, and felt garments have been found. Certain features of the assemblage, including the abundance of the woven wools, their technical consistency, and evidence for household rather than specialised production, suggest the work of local weavers. Drawing comparisons with a living nomadic weaving tradition in Ladakh, Tibet, this paper relates aspects of the assemblage to production in a mobile pastoralist context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG) possesses a small collection consisting of 13 fragments of Late Antique textiles from Egypt, possibly from the site of Akhmim. The collection primarily consists of cut-outs of decorative elements. The collection has until now not received much attention nor been thoroughly analysed. The present study seeks to remedy this neglect by performing fibre and dye analyses as well as including archival material from the museum collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 3500 BC, an adult elephant was sacrificed and buried in the elite cemetery of Hierakonpolis in the very south of Egypt. The elephant was given a burial similar to humans including a linen shroud. This shroud is just one of an impressive number of textiles found at the site illustrating a range of uses. The textiles of the late prehistory in Egypt, the predynastic period, have not yet been thoroughly researched, and the linen of the elephant's shroud therefore presents a unique opportunity to consider the time used to produce it and the expertise of the spinners and weavers. The information from textile tools found at Hierakonpolis can now also be added to this story. The results of research into the elephant's shroud and the textile tools question our perception of prehistoric society in Egypt just before state formation, especially in relation to the organisation of textile production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence for blue dyed textiles becomes widespread in Europe during the first millennium BCE. The dyestuff was likely dyer's woad - Isatis tinctoria L. While archaeologists have done much to understand the dyeing process, archaeobotany and chemical analysis of woad dye, there remains a question as to how accessible blue colour textiles were at this time. The aim of this research is to investigate the accessibility or exclusivity of woad dyed blue textiles in this period in terms of the resources, knowledge and skills required to produce them by asking the question "how many woad plants does it take to dye 1 kg of wool yarn blue?". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present article is to reconsider the interpretation of the Greek word halourgos (ἁλουργός) and its relation to textiles and purple dye by reinvestigating its recordings in Greek epigraphy and the papyri, as well as comparative examples from Greek literary sources, in the period from the fourth century bc to the seventh century ad — thus combining the source material from ancient Greece and the Greek-speaking part of the Roman world. This will illustrate the wealth of information one can get from the exploration of one single word: not only on the significance and appearance of textiles and garments in the ancient world from Greece to Egypt, but also on the diversity of colours and the subtleties in their use and terminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern analytical techniques are playing increasingly important roles in archaeology. In the field of textile archaeology, the characteristics of silk and dyes are important since they may provide essential information on the origin of the material, dyeing techniques, and even historical windows in understanding trading routes of ancient textiles. Here, we first identify the ancient Chinese textiles from Qing Dynasty Royal Palace as silk fibroin by ATR-spectrum, then extraction conditions for dyestuff on textiles were evaluated as it have quite an effect on the analytical results in the chemical analysis, the extract was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Tof MS) to identify the natural dyes in these ancient textiles. The results showed that a gentle extraction method (MeOH/FA/EDTA) was efficient and berberine, flavonoids and indigo were identified simultaneously in extracts of ancient textiles by high-resolution mass spectrometry. By comparing extraction profiles of pigments in plants as the likely dye sources by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS, we identified Sophora japonica L. and Phellodendron amurense Rupr. as the dye sources in historical silk fibres. The analyses suggest that the bright yellow textiles were likely dyed with a combination of these two plants and aluminium was used as mordant in the dyeing process. The experiment of color restoration confirmed our analysis. This study demonstrated its ability to identify the dyeing technology of ancient China and provide valuable data for the reparation of historical textiles preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Po-pu-re (porphyra) denotes the deep red/purple colour delivered from sea shells extraction and processing of five species and conversion to dye has been practice in ancient world, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. Archaeological excavations have shown that murex was used in Greece and in other areas, such as Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Italy, Spain and generally throughout the Mediterranean basin. The colour of murex was priceless and used in wall-paintings and textiles. Many fabrics have been found in Crete, Egypt and Israel. Considering the ancient texts, including those of Plutarch, Pliny, Aristotle, Herodotus and Xenokrates, it has been shown that its identification can be advanced by studying chemical production of purple-dye, while using spectroscopy and chemical analysis the basic chemistry, the dibromoindigotin (DBI), is identified. The present report reviews major murex producing workshops in the Mediterranean and archaeometrical analyses that identify this marine shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Great Basin of North America has produced some of the most robust and ancient fiber artifact assemblages in the world, many were recovered with poor chronological controls. Consequently, this class of artifacts has seldom been effectively incorporated into general discussions of early chronological and cultural patterns. In recent years, the Great Basin Textile Dating Project has accumulated direct AMS dates on textiles (bags, sandals, mats, cordage, and basketry) from dry caves in the Great Basin, particularly in the northern and western areas. We focus here on the terminal Pleistocene/early Holocene, to identify chronological patterns in this class of artifacts and to evaluate Adovasio's characterization of the region's earliest basketry as simple and undecorated. New AMS dates now suggest that the region's earliest people had sophisticated textile traditions that incorporated numerous decorative elaborations. Some distinctive structures, including Fort Rock sandals and weft-faced plaited textiles, have limited early temporal ranges and may serve as diagnostic indicators for terminal Pleistocene/early Holocene times. Other basketry forms and structures that appear by about 9000 cal B.P. persist into the historic period, suggesting a stronger thread of continuity (especially in the north) from this time than is apparent in lithic traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of textiles from Xiongnu burial was obtained in the recent years as a result of research of the Russian-Mongolian expedition led by N. Polosmak. This collection is a unique source of the different types of information. Xiongnu throughout their long history controlled the Central Asia regions of the Silk Road, by which many and varied products, including textiles and wool, were brought to China from the west. The woolen fabrics and textiles of high quality were found in the Xiongnu noble burials located in the mountains of Mongolia. An analysis of their dyes composition by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the woolen fabrics were dyed with plant and insect dyestuffs. Each sample analyzed was dyed with a set of dyestuffs that indicates that dyers had not only the necessary and various dyes, but possessed highly developed craftsmanship of dyeing. Based on the results of this research it can be proposed that the dyeing of the woolen textiles found in the graves of the Xiongnu nobility was carried out in the manufactories of the Mediterranean, known for their fabrics dyeing culture. Numerous Chinese-made silk fabrics were dyed with traditional Han epoch plant dyes - indigo and Indian madder. Dyes composition of the silk textile fundamentally differs from dyes of the woolen fabrics by the absence of dyestuffs of insect origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) misting could be an effective disinfection and protection method for cotton fabric. The study showed that the disinfection resulted in the reduction of microorganism number by 32–100%, depending on the strain. Fabric humidity of not less than 84% ensures high effectiveness of the process. It was proved that vegetative cells are more susceptible to nanoparticles than spores. The antimicrobial protection of cotton fabric results in the 33–93% reduction of microorganism number. The application of AgNPs does not influence significantly the optical and mechanical parameters of cotton fabric, even after accelerated light ageing. The AgNPs misting is safe for personnel. The AgNPs misting can be considered as an alternative for currently used disinfection methods of ancient textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a meeting on Ancient textile production from an interdisciplinary Approach: 7 September 2019, Bern, Switzerland, which includes the current state of multidisciplinary approaches to the integrated study of archaeological textiles since the last comprehensive overview was published, which was organized by Agata Ulanowska from the Institute of Archaeology, Karina Grömer from the Natural History Museum, Joanna Dyer from the British Museum.

We present the results of the first in-depth measurements of the linen cloth of the shroud of Arquata, a precious copy of the Shroud of Turin, which dates back to 1653. The measurements aimed at finding the nature of the faint and low-contrast body impressions on the linen cloth, which are not produced by drawings or paintings as in the other copies of the Shroud of Turin. In general, the optical analysis and the imaging of low-contrast stains on ancient textiles is a complex task, due to the irregular surface and the influence of spectrum, position and uniformity of the illuminating source on colour accuracy and rendition. A correct evaluation requires a multidisciplinary approach. We used noninvasive technologies, including imaging topological radar, laser induced fluorescence, absolute diffused reflectance and absorption spectra, which were previously used to study frescoes, paintings, antique papers, but were never exploited on ancient textiles. The combined results of our measurements and data elaboration allowed identifying the origins of the body impressions, of the stains simulating blood and of the other marks embedded on the linen cloth. Our results can be used to plan the proper long-term conservation of the linen cloth and of marks on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review some new methods based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for the nondestructive/minimally invasive identification of organic colorants in objects whose value or function precludes sampling, such as historic and archeological textiles, paintings, and drawing. We discuss in detail the methodology we developed for the selective extraction and identification of anthraquinones and indigoids in the typical concentration used in textiles by means of an ecocompatible homogeneous nanostructured agar matrix. The extraction system was modulated according to the chemical properties of the target analyte by choosing appropriate reagents for the extraction and optimizing the extraction time. The system has been found to be extremely stable, easy to use and produce, easy to store, and at the same time able to be analyzed even after long time intervals, maintaining its enhancement properties unaltered, without the detriment of the extracted compound. Highly structured SERS band intensities have been obtained from the extracted dyes adopting laser light excitations at 514.5 and 785 nm of a micro-Raman setup. This analytical method has been found to be extremely safe for the analyzed substrates, thus being a promising procedure for the selective analysis and detection of molecules at low concentration in the field of artworks conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigoid dyes are well known as vat dyes. In their oxidized dichetonic form they are stable and insoluble in water, whereas in their reduced form, commonly known as leuco, they are soluble in water and able to be attached to fabric for dyeing purposes. These blue dyes are usually easily detectable in art objects by means of Raman spectroscopy by adopting for analyses a laser line at a high wavelength, such as a 785 nm diode laser. Unfortunately, in ancient artworks, that are often highly degraded, it is not always possible to collect high quality Raman spectra, which makes the analysis and identification of these compounds particularly challenging. In this work, we present a tailor-made methodology for the extraction and the recognition of indigoid dyes in works of art, which exploits the solubility of these compounds in their reduced form. Excellent Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectra of indigo were acquired after micro-extraction on ancient and reference textiles, confirming the reliability of the presented procedure. Moreover, the methodology has been applied also for the extraction of the indigoid dye Tyrian purple on a reference textile, showing excellent results. This analytical method has been found to be extremely safe both for the reference textiles and the investigated ancient textiles, thus being a promising procedure for the selective analysis and detection of indigoid compounds in objects of artistic relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is carried out to investigate the possibility of preparing artificial deteriorated dyed textile samples simulated to deteriorated dyed ancient textiles, to be used as experimental samples in historical textile conservation researches. In this study new wool textiles were dyed with 10 natural dyes common used for dyeing of textiles in Egypt in different historical periods. Different mordant were used in this study to produce different colours from each dye. The dyed wool samples were artificially aged by light for various periods. The changes in the colour of dyed wool samples after aged by light were observed visually. Also the changes in the CIE L*a*b* parameters L*, a*, and b *values (ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb*) and the total change in the colour (ΔE*) were calculated. The results show that yellow dyes are the most sensitive tested dyes to light aging. Madder is most tested dyes fastness to light. This study informs that the colours that we see on historical textiles in the museum may be different than their original colours in the past in the moment of their production. The obtained results show that it is possible to prepare artificial experimental wool textile samples simulated to faded ancient ones. These artificial experimental wool textile samples can be used for conservation researches, and the practical training of textile conservators. However the exposure time required for preparing these samples depend on type of the dyes. Some of tested dyes such as indigo, cochineal, Lac need about 80 hours and other dyes such as turmeric needs about 5 hours only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Danubius is the property of Danubius and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The research proposed in this short article, try to show one of the possible methods to analyze and study some urban fabric, in historic cities in the first place, that have been lost or have been heavily modified over the centuries, dramatically changing their appearance. In particular, the study is aimed at cataloging of archival records for the area of the Imperial Fora in Rome, especially, in this first phase, in the areas adjacent to the archaeological ruins. Therefore, the case study is undoubtedly one of the most complex in terms of urban stratification. The lost Alessandrino district, demolished to make way for the Via dell'Impeo has been carefully analyzed, the documents were redrawn in digital, and we are seeing to the three-dimensional reconstruction to the computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological textiles from Iceland have not been objects of significant analyzes until recently, yet they provide important new data on the use of cloth in legal transactions. Medieval Icelandic law codes and narrative sources include regulations governing the production of ‘legal cloth’ –vaðmál– and its uses for paying tithes and taxes, for economic transactions and in legal judgments. Archaeological data provide new insights on its production, the extent to which these laws were followed, and how ubiquitously Iceland’s ‘legal’ cloth was produced. This paper compares documentary sources and archaeological data to document intensive standardization in cloth production across Iceland from the eleventh to the late sixteenth centuries. The role of women as weavers is critical, as it is they who oversaw production and ensured that regulations were respected and as a result they may have been bestowed with more power than previously anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: In this paper we analyzed the natural dyes in well-preserved, ancient textiles from Yingpan, an important archaeological site on the Silk Road, using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection. Dyes were removed from textile fibers using a soft extraction method (pyridine, water and oxalic acid). Two species of madder-type plants, Rubia tinctorum and Rubia cordifolia were identified as the dye sources in red and brown samples. We also were able to detect unusual flavonoid glycosides in yellow and green woolen yarns, although we have not been able to pinpoint with certainty a specific plant that may have been used to produce this dye(s). On the other hand, we found that yellow and green silk threads had been colored with protoberberine-type dyes, probably obtained from species of cork tree, Phellodendron spp., and/or other protoberberine producing plant. We propose that the textile dyes found at Yingpan reflect a merging of Eastern and Western practices and technologies during the 800-year period (206 BCE–618 CE) encompassing the early years of the Silk Road. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The possibility to define a two-way relationship between age and a spectral property of ancient flax textiles has been investigated in the present paper employing both FT-IR and Raman analyses on selected samples dated from about 3250B.C. to 2000A.D. After a first selection to eliminate polluted samples, based on visual inspection, on proper mechanical tests and on a first glance at the resulting spectra, eleven samples of the original 14 have been used for Raman analysis and eight for FT-IR analysis. For the first time, the possibility to define a correlation among spectral properties and age of flax samples, by using calibration curves, has been proved. In agreement with the kinetics theoretical model, the experimental relationships are of an exponential type, giving correlation coefficients higher than 0.9. The better results were obtained using FT-IR because Raman analysis needs to consider an additional variable due to the non negligible influence of fluorescence. Presently, the method allows to assign an uncertainty of centuries to the measured data, but future calibrations based on a greater number of samples (though it is not easy to find ancient samples adequate for the test) and coupled with ad hoc cleaning procedures could significantly improve its accuracy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]