Urban Anthroplogy Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

"Between 1975 and 1977, 411 samples of textiles, fabrics, yarns and cordage were excavated from medieval deposits at the High Street, Perth. Most of this material was recovered from levels dating between the early 12th and the later 14th centuries; only seven samples came from unstratified contexts.
In addition to wool (the most commonly represented fibre), goat hair and probably horse hair were detected. A total of 31 items are of silk. The absence of linen is attributed to the acidic soil conditions, which do not favour the preservation of bast fibres.
The largest group consists of loom-woven textiles. Under this heading, 2/1 twill without nap, ZS is the most abundant type of weave. Also well represented are the categories 2/1 twill with nap, ZS and 2/1 twill without nap, ZZ. 2/2 twills are present in much lower numbers, but they maintain a much more consistent presence throughout all five periods. In contrast, there is a tendency for the 2/1 twills to undergo a marked increase from the first half of the 12th century onwards.
Most of the textiles are woollen and monochrome in colour. It is estimated that approximately 30% of the cloths were dyed. Madder and kermes were identified among the red dyestuffs, the former being more common. Indigotin and a further, unidentified blue dye were also recognised. The yellows identified in the textiles were kaempferol, quercitin and rhamnetin, perhaps from residues of plant crops such as onion skins. Reseda luteola, or weld (Dyer’s Rocket), was not detected, but some of its seeds were recovered from the site.
Patterned weaves are rare in the Perth textiles. Examples of patterning include a 2/1 twill check, which employs yarns of different weight and colour (93/A10193c). This is notable as the only recorded check fabric in Scotland between a check from Falkirk, belonging to the mid-third century AD and another from the Dava Moor burial dated c 1600. Other Perth High Street 2/2 twills with pattern effects are a diamond twill (18/A12340a), and a fragmentary fabric with a single reverse in the direction of the line of the weave (105/A10057). In a further 2/2 twill, the diagonal line of the weave is emphasised by using a dark warp and a light weft (82/A12553b). This cloth has been identified as wadmal; it is probably an import from Scandinavia.
Another characteristic exploited in a few textiles is the use of yarns with different spin directions in the same system (either warp or weft), as in 259/A09-0104 and 337/A09-0041, both 2/1 twills. A homogeneous group of textiles consists of tabbies woven from two ply yarns. They occur in all periods of the site, but with a concentration in Period II (1150-1200). These textiles, with a low warp and weft count, are similar to examples found at many other European sites. At the PHSAE, there are tabbies with 2S ply yarn and tabbies with 2Z ply yarn; the former occur in greatest numbers.
Positive evidence for the use of the warp-weighted loom has been noted among the High Street material. This includes textiles with a starting edge and pin beaters. In contrast, no parts of horizontal looms appear to have been detected.
Eleven of the loom-woven textiles are of silk, and a further tablet-woven fabric is a composite piece which incorporates two sections of tabby ribbon (271/A09-0097). While most of the silk textiles are of tabby weave, four of the samples are twill weaves. The latter comprise weft-faced compound twill (three samples), and a 2/2 lozenge twill which may have been manufactured in 13th century Spain (233/A09-0122).
Among the non loom-woven fabrics are tablet-weaves, felt, sprang, knotted net and braids. The sprang (227/A09-0121), belonging to Period V (1300-1350), is notable as the technique is extremely rare at medieval sites in Britain. Three examples of knotted net, constructed from two ply silk yarn, were obtained from levels also dated to Period V. Two of these nets have embroidered designs executed in varieties of darning (lacis). They are comparable with cushion covers from the royal burials at the convent of Las Huelgas, near Burgos, Spain, and with hair-coverings from Germany. These nets contribute to the evidence obtained from other finds represented among the PHSAE finds for trading links with the Continent.
Many of the Perth High Street loom-woven textiles have cut edges; they are probably discarded offcuts. Confirmation for tailoring activities was found at the site in the form of shears, scissors and needles. From an examination of different categories of finds from the site, including metalwork depicting clothed personages, and other contemporary material in Scotland, it is suggested that the inhabitants of 12th to early 14th century Perth wore long woollen garments with soft, loose folds. The basic garments adopted by women and men were similar. Differences may be observed in the variable length of men’s tunics, while women’s garments always reached the ground. It is assumed that the wealthier inhabitants of Perth would have worn dyed clothing and the finer qualities of cloth, but most people would have worn natural shades of brown.
Despite the apparent homogeneity in colour, a closer study of clothing in Perth, considered in the light of what is known of the history of the burgh, shows that the outward forms of dress reveal the articulation of more complex internal social organisation."