HFAK13011U F.ARK Archaeological Topic A - Textile Archaeology - A hands on course

Textiles are an integral part of our everyday and have been so since prehistory. Textile is used for sails, tents, clothing and in households in a variety of contexts such as rituals and trade, and throughout prehistory textiles were considered worth their weight in gold. Over time, production, organization and distribution of textiles changed and transformed as a result of new technologies. The knowledge and development of these technologies is seen in the finished product and is testament to the transference of knowledge in families or areas but also show new influences from the outside world. The manufacture of textile includes a long and sometimes complex and physical demanding chaîne opératoire: Harvesting and preparation of fibres, setting up heavy looms, spinning and weaving as well as the finishing processes such as sowing the textiles together and e.g. treating sailcloth with sheep’s fat. The manufacturing of textiles was a result of complex interactions between resources and technology within society, and depended on resources, state of technology, and needs.
 

The course will take you through the history of textile in Europe and the Near East covering both tangible and intangible aspects. Geographically you will be introduced to European textiles as well as textiles from the Near East in the prehistory, however, other time periods and geographic areas can be included, too.

After an introduction to archaeological textiles and textile production, you will experiment with basic textile technologies such as fibre identification, weaving, and dye analysis. We will look at preservation and conservation both for textiles and for skins and leather. You will also work with new scientific methods as well as the theoretical approaches to understanding textile production in the context of wider societal questions.

See the prelimerary schedule here.