Wool Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Wool is a textile resource with a special cultural and economic impact. It was produced and used in all Romanian territories with great success, especially where shepherding was the main occupation. Wool processing has received special... more

Wool is a textile resource with a special cultural and economic impact. It was produced and used in all Romanian territories with great success, especially where shepherding was the main occupation. Wool processing has received special attention, being an activity integrated in the shepherd's calendar. Our research will focus on the technical methods of spinning and felting traditionally used in Transylvania for over 100 years.

A particularly attractive but hitherto unidentified Berber type of costume, a striped haik (a rectangular flat weave garment worn by women) appeared on the Moroccan textile art market a number of years ago. L. Viola during one of his... more

A particularly attractive but hitherto unidentified Berber type of costume, a striped haik (a rectangular flat weave garment worn by women) appeared on the Moroccan textile art market a number of years ago. L. Viola during one of his recent field trips identified for the first time the tribe that produced them. These Berber weavings are generally about 50 years old (but are still produced) and were woven in the Ait Moussa villages of the Mejjat Anti-Atlas tribe. While Lucien Viola traces their history and beliefs, Alexandra Sachs, co-author, describes their aesthetic and exceptional visual impact.
This article was published by Hali Magazine (issue 200 summer 2019) An Infinity of Stripes.

In order to understand the fundamental forces which have affected the marketing of natural fibres, especially wool, it is necessary to study the fibre market as a whole and in particular to take account of the development of man-made... more

In order to understand the fundamental forces which have affected the marketing of natural fibres, especially wool, it is necessary to study the fibre market as a whole and in particular to take account of the development of man-made fibres. In considering some of the more important marketing problems encountered by natural fibres, mainly wool and cotton, we shall explore ways in which these are interconnected with the nature and structure of the man-made fibre industry. The principal problem discussed in this book, the presence of large and possibly growing fluctuations in the price of natural fibres, can only be adequately comprehended if the nature of man-made fibre production and marketing is specifically considered. This and the next Chapter provide a general world-wide background on the development, structure and nature of competition in the textile fibre industry.

I have edited the work of a deceased independent scholar and artist, Eileen Mary Bolton, she having willed me the copyright. It is a book that would be useful for art historians, textile historians, restorers and others needing knowledge... more

I have edited the work of a deceased independent scholar and artist, Eileen Mary Bolton, she having willed me the copyright. It is a book that would be useful for art historians, textile historians, restorers and others needing knowledge of dyes prior to the Victorian chemical aniline colours. Karen Leigh Casselman is co-editor with me of the work.

Natural dyes are gaining interest due their expected low risk to human health and to the environment. In this study, the wash fastness of a natural coloring matter from the liquid waste produced in the steam treatment of... more

Natural dyes are gaining interest due their expected low risk to human health and to the environment. In this study, the
wash fastness of a natural coloring matter from the liquid waste produced in the steam treatment of eucalyptus wood in textile fabrics was investigated. Specifically, eucalyptus wood extract was used to dye cotton, nylon and wool in an exhaust dyeing process without the addition of the traditional mordanting agents and then submitted to wash fastness analysis. The resulting dyed fabrics were evaluated for color fastness. It was found that wash fastness of dyed fabrics was very good to cotton and excellent to nylon and wool.

In 1969 a female burial from the Early Roman Iron Age with exceptionally well preserved textiles was excavated in Lønne Hede in Southwest Jutland, Denmark. At the time, the find drew a great deal of attention and since then, the Lønne... more

In 1969 a female burial from the Early Roman Iron Age with exceptionally well preserved textiles was excavated in Lønne Hede in Southwest Jutland, Denmark. At the time, the find drew a great deal of attention and since then, the Lønne Hede Maiden and her blue and red dress have been copied and displayed in museums and textbooks as the female costume of the Scandinavian Iron Age. This article shows that the interpretation of both her costume and her hairstyle is debatable. In 1995 further excavations were carried out revealing a cemetery with both cremation graves from the Late Pre-Roman Iron Age and inhumation graves from the Early Iron Age, as well as an older settlement with long houses, a smithy, and votive deposits from the Early Pre-Roman Iron Age. The burials are not rich graves, with the Lønne Hede Maiden with her pieces of silver jewellery as the exception. However, the Lønne Hede site is remarkable due to the well preserved, boldly coloured textiles and the exceptional pres...

‘En Tamar is a Nabatean desert oasis southwest of the Dead Sea. It is located ca. 10 km from Meẓad Tamar, which was one of the way stations on the road to Petra. Excavations at the site uncovered a burial cave dated to the first–third... more

‘En Tamar is a Nabatean desert oasis southwest of the Dead Sea. It is located ca. 10 km from Meẓad Tamar, which was one of the way stations on the road to Petra. Excavations at the site uncovered a burial cave dated to the first–third centuries CE or late second–early third centuries CE.
The finds – pottery, glass, silver jewelry, carnelian and gold-plated beads, the leather sole of a sandal with bronze nails of the caliga type and wooden artifacts and
textiles – reflect the wealth of the family whose members were buried in the burial cave. Several hundred artifacts made of organic materials – textiles, basketry, cordage, leather and wood – were discovered with the burials, as well as short date-palm cords, fruits and seeds of date palms, nuts, olives and Egyptian balsam
(Balanites aegyptiaca).
The linen textiles, some of them decorated with wool bands, do not display any stitching or signs of reuse and were in primary use as shrouds, another indication of the high economic status of the deceased.

The organic materials presented below were discovered during excavations conducted in 2003 at the Mikveh Cave in Nahal David on behalf of Haifa University under the direction of H. Cohen. Twenty nine textile fragments were studied and... more

The organic materials presented below were discovered during excavations conducted in 2003 at the Mikveh Cave in Nahal David on behalf of Haifa University under the direction of H. Cohen. Twenty nine textile fragments were studied and registered. Five are from the Chalcolithic Period made of linen and eight from the Roman Period made of wool. One textile is made of wool in the warp and goat hair fibers in the weft.

The possibility of relations between the Aegean and the Caucasian world during the third millennium BC has seldom been considered so far. In this contribution archaeological data for ten different indications of possible contacts as well... more

The possibility of relations between the Aegean and the Caucasian world during the third millennium BC has seldom been considered so far. In this contribution archaeological data for ten different indications of possible contacts as well as for similar or different developments in the regions will be presented (shaft-hole axes, tumuli, wool, fire stands, bone tubes, tin, lapis lazuli, flat beads with tubular midrib, balance weights, seals).
The fire stands might be a sign for contacts between the Aegean and the southern Caucasus which has not been realized before. The similarities are in my opinion too strong to allow an interpretation as coincidental. The common types in the Aegean and the south Caucasus, the zoomorphic stands and the house-shaped stands, are lacking in central and western Anatolia so far. While I cannot explain this convincingly, my intention was to draw the attention to these objects to open up a debate.

This article argues that a renewed analysis of textile manufacture can bring a fresh perspective to approach the cultural transformations occurring in Cyprus during the mid-third millennium BCE and to investigate their significance. I... more

This article argues that a renewed analysis of textile manufacture can bring a fresh perspective to approach the cultural transformations occurring in Cyprus during the mid-third millennium BCE and to investigate their significance. I present the main interpretations on the transition from the Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age as indicated by current archaeological research and explain the value of textile tools as archaeological indicators. Following this, the available data for selected textile activities (fiber exploitation and thread-making) are analyzed and discussed. The final aim is to demonstrate how current narratives can be challenged when technology is not the only aspect considered, and productive purposes and raw materials are also included.

Sommario: Premessa. 1. Contenuto del legato di lana. 2. Contenuto del legato di vestimentum. 3. Il caso dell'abito confezionato (prima dell'apertura della successione) con la lana legata. Abstract: Ulpiano e Paolo si occupano del caso di... more

Sommario: Premessa. 1. Contenuto del legato di lana. 2. Contenuto del legato di vestimentum. 3. Il caso dell'abito confezionato (prima dell'apertura della successione) con la lana legata. Abstract: Ulpiano e Paolo si occupano del caso di un tale che, dopo aver disposto nel suo testamento un legato di lana, ha con questa realizzato un vestito: il dubbio è se l'abito rientri comunque nella disposizione mortis causa, nonostante nel legato si parli di lana. Mentre Paolo esclude tale possibilità, Ulpiano l'ammette purché si dimostri che il testatore l'aveva prevista. La dottrina tradizionale ha di regola esaminato l'argomento sotto il profilo della specificatio, con esiti spesso contrastanti anche in ragione di 'pregiudizi' di natura interpolazionistica. Lo scopo di questo contributo è invece quello di analizzare i frammenti citati alla luce dei risultati delle ricerche antichistiche ed archeologiche in materia, con il supporto dei testi agronomici latini e della Naturalis Historia di Plinio. Abstract: Ulpiano and Paul deal with the case of a man who, after disposing a legacy of wool in his testament has made a suit with this wool before dying: the doubt is whether the garment falls into the mortis causa disposition despite the fact that the content of the legacy is wool, not a dress. While Paul excludes this possibility, Ulpiano admitts it as long as it is possible to prove that the testator had admitted the validity of the legacy. The traditional doctrine has usually examined this subject in connection with specificatio's regime with frequent conflicting results sometimes determined by 'prejudices' of interpolations. The purpose of this essay is instead to analyze the mentioned fragments in the light of the results of ancient and archaeological studies on this matter with the support of Latin agronomic texts and Pliny's Naturalis Historia.

After cattle, sheep were in Austrians prehistory the most relevant domesticated animals, but their relevance shifted between periods in which the human subsistence based on sheep and periods with minor importance. Possible reasons for... more

After cattle, sheep were in Austrians prehistory the most relevant domesticated animals, but their relevance shifted between periods in which the human subsistence based on sheep and periods with minor importance. Possible reasons for these dynamics from the Neolithic to the Roman period are investigated. Another focus of the study is directed to the different products of sheep and in particular the emergence of woolly sheep. Using the Logarithmic Size Index (LSI) technique on previously published morphometrical data we found no indication of an introduction of a larger, foreign kind of woolly sheep as assumed hitherto. From Middle Neolithic to Germanic settlements of the Roman period hardly any differences in size of sheep can be determined. Only in Roman period a statistically highly significant larger sheep breed occurred. At least in Austria but presumably in most European regions the development of sheep with woolly fleece seems to have been a multiple and independent event produced by human selection. The larger sheep recorded in Roman periods were very probably introduced from Roman stocks. Zusammenfassung Nach den Rindern waren Schafe in Österreichs Vorgeschichte meist die wirtschaftlich zweit-wichtigsten Haustiere. Ihre Bedeutung schwankte allerdings im Laufe der Zeit von Perioden, in denen die menschliche Nahrungsökonomie ganz wesentlich auf der Schafhaltung beruhte, bis zu Zeiten von untergeordneterer Relevanz. Ausgehend von morphometrischen Untersu-chungen bereits publizierter Knochenmaße mittels Logarithmic Size Index (LSI) werden mög-liche Gründe für diese Unterschiede und Veränderungen vom Neolithikum bis zur Römischen Kaiserzeit diskutiert. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt des Beitrags liegt auf den unterschiedlichen

The influence of ionic auxiliaries on absorption of the Acid milling CI Acid Blue 80 (Sandolan Milling Blue N-BL 150) dye on wool fibre and on the colour changes of the dyed fabric has been investigated. The motivation behind this work is... more

The influence of ionic auxiliaries on absorption of the Acid milling CI Acid Blue 80 (Sandolan Milling Blue N-BL 150) dye on wool fibre and on the colour changes of the dyed fabric has been investigated. The motivation behind this work is possible reduction in the dyeing temperature of conventional dyeing. The absorption and the colour characteristics of dyed fabric, including light and washing fastness were examined. An anionic and cationic auxiliaries based on Lissapol D (ICI), the sodium salt of cetyl-oleylsulphate and dispersol (CWL), an ethylene oxide-amine condensate respectively, enable dyeing at low temperature. Colour characteristics and improvement in light and wash fastness of the dyed fabrics was achieved. The variation of hue and levelness due to the use of these auxiliaries or the difference in dyeing temperatures is reported.

This article examines the interaction between maker and material in craft making in the case of felting. From the perspective of material agency, the article argues that the craft practice is the result of a negotiation between the... more

This article examines the interaction between maker and material in craft making in the case of felting. From the perspective of material
agency, the article argues that the craft practice is the result of a negotiation between the material and the maker, and the bodily movements of a practice emerge from this dialogical act. The article investigates felting processes and uncovers how they occur through bodily movements and material transformations. This investigation refers to the processes that a novice maker and two expert makers go through a negotiation. The emergence of the artefact is studied with a focus on the relationship between the maker, material, and practice by
examining different ways of interacting with the material and its transformations. The research employed a practice-led approach and
participant observation as methods to collect various types of data in various studio settings. The data was collected in the form of reflective diaries, field notes, and videos. Through a meticulous analysis, we examined the movements of the body and the material in felting. This examination enabled us to understand what happens in each contact moment between the maker and the material.

The Wool ComfortMeter provides an objective measurement of the fabric-evoked prickle discomfort rating provided by wearers. This work aimed to quantify the sensitivity of the Wool ComfortMeter over a range of different temperature and... more

The Wool ComfortMeter provides an objective measurement of the fabric-evoked prickle discomfort rating provided by wearers. This work aimed to quantify the sensitivity of the Wool ComfortMeter over a range of different temperature and humidity conditions to determine the recommended test conditions for its operation. The design was: three temperatures (notionally 20, 25 and 30°C) at three relative humidities (RHs, notionally 50, 65 and 80%) each with two replicates, using six different wool single jersey knits (mean fibre diameter 19.5–27.0 µm). As it was difficult to achieve exactly some of the extreme combinations of temperature and RH, some combinations were repeated, providing a total of 23 different assessment conditions. Data were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood mixed model analysis. The best fixed model included RH, RH2, temperature and the interaction of temperature and RH, accounting for 95% of the variation in Wool ComfortMeter readings. Wool ComfortMeter values were almost constant at 55–60% RH. Generally, the Wool ComfortMeter value reduced with increasing RH > 60% at temperatures of 25°C and 28.5°C as the regain of the fabric increased. However, at 20°C little change was detected as RH was increased from 50 to 80% as there were only small changes in fabric regain. The observed effects were in a good agreement with existing knowledge on the effect of regain on the mechanical properties of wool fibre. Wool ComfortMeter is best operated under standard conditions for textile testing of 65% RH and 20°C.

This paper presents the first results of a comprehensive project on the genetics of prehistoric sheep stocks in central Europe. It demonstrates that sheep were introduced into central Europe during the Neolithic in two different ways and... more

This paper presents the first results of a comprehensive project on the genetics of prehistoric sheep stocks in central Europe. It demonstrates that sheep were introduced into central Europe during the Neolithic in two different ways and that both stocks had different genetic structures. An eastern population spread from the Balkan Peninsula via Austria to the north, yielding a mixture of a dominant haplogroup B with a stable minority of haplogroup A. Another population reached central Europe from a western route via Italy and France, consisting of sheep with haplogroup B exclusively. The analyses do not support the hypothesis of two subsequent dispersal events of sheep, first with hairy sheep, second with woolly sheep. We found no indication of the emergence of a new kind of sheep; in contrast, the prehistoric distribution of the haplogroups is stable when compared to modern times. Based on these results, it is likely that the development of woolly sheep were multiple and independent events.

Abstract: Through this work, the research team of Timaeus Project wants to make available to readers achievements during the years 2011 to 2014. The study of wool production in Ibiza and Formentera has been the issue that has occupied us... more

Abstract: Through this work, the research team of Timaeus Project wants to make available to readers achievements during the years 2011 to 2014. The study of wool production in Ibiza and Formentera has been the issue that has occupied us in the last years. The idea arose from the results obtained during the previous six years when our attention turned to the issue of exploitation of purple in the same territory. Once established the importance of this ancient activity we wanted to check the plausibility of a hypothesis: we held some previous publications that transporting the purple dye produced in the workshops of the Balearic Islands must have as a dyed wool. Trade of yarn dyed in desired colors, facilitate the work of those responsible of Balearic Baphium. We decided to delve into the physical-environmental and cultural conditions that must exist for the development of the wool sheep raising on both islands.

To estimate the effectiveness of a new high-performance Australian medical sheepskin (meeting Australian Standard 4480.1-1998) in preventing pressure ulcers in a general hospital population at low to moderate risk of these ulcers.... more

To estimate the effectiveness of a new high-performance Australian medical sheepskin (meeting Australian Standard 4480.1-1998) in preventing pressure ulcers in a general hospital population at low to moderate risk of these ulcers. Open-label randomised controlled clinical trial. A large metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, in 2000. 441 patients aged over 18 years admitted between 12 June and 30 November 2000, with expected length of stay over 2 days and assessed as at low to moderate risk of developing pressure ulcers. Patients were randomly allocated to receive a sheepskin mattress overlay for the duration of their hospital stay (218 patients) or usual treatment, as determined by ward staff (referent group, 223 patients). Incidence rate and cumulative incidence of pressure ulcers, assessed daily throughout hospital stay. 58 patients developed pressure ulcers (sheepskin group, 21; referent group, 37). Cumulative incidence risk was 9.6% in the sheepskin group (95% C...

Textiles have played a key role in local and national cultures not only because of their utility and functionality, but also in terms of the symbolic value that they have for a particular social group, populace, or nation. Given the... more

Textiles have played a key role in local and national cultures not only because of their utility and functionality, but also in terms of the symbolic value that they have for a particular social group, populace, or nation. Given the erratic and myriad nature of these communities, the focus of this article is on mapping out differentiation in the designs of contemporary wooly socks that find their source of inspiration in an imaginary of Finland celebrating its national centenary in 2017. In this endeavor, the article refines how an idea of a nation is reflected on through knitted craftwork, and how the divergence and layeredness of these designs not only reaffirms and evokes traditions but also develops the culture of knitting in contemporary times. In conclusion, the article contributes to the decoding of a textile design process in reflection of the recollection of the experiences of rootedness, the reproduction of the expression and the use of communicative images, and the negotiation of hybrid social realities voiced through the materiality of making.

Responding to recent advances in knowledge about the first arrival of woollen sheep in Europe and linked investigations of textile remains on the Continent, this paper argues that our insight into the role of wool in the English Bronze... more

Responding to recent advances in knowledge about the first arrival of woollen sheep in Europe and linked investigations of textile remains on the Continent, this paper argues that our insight into the role of wool in the English Bronze Age needs rethinking. We argue that the relevant questions are: when did the procurement of and working with wool become a routine aspect of settlement life, and did the change from plant fibres to wool affect communities differently? The paper outlines some of the core research questions we need to consider and points to the necessity of triangulating between the evidence provided by textiles, faunal remains, and textile working tools to reach more comprehensive insights. The paper ends by indicating a further research question-namely whether the apparent differences in the 'wool economy' in different parts of Bronze Age Europe may suggest differences in 'body politics'.

Meinarti is an island located immediately north of the Nile’s Second Cataract, circa 350 km upriver from Philae. The site played an important role in the Nubian trade control policy. In the medieval written sources, it was described as a... more

Meinarti is an island located immediately north of the Nile’s Second Cataract, circa 350 km upriver from Philae. The site played an important role in the Nubian trade control policy. In the medieval written sources, it was described as a control point for traffic on the river and as the occasional residence of the eparch of Nobadia. The excavations at Meinarti were conducted from 1963 to 1964 under the auspices of
UNESCO as part of the Nubian Salvage Campaign. More than 50 fragments of a kilim piece were retrieved from an occupation layer dated to the 14th c. CE. However, the conservation process of this remarkable
fabric took place much later, between 2017 and 2019, in the frame of the “Nubian Textiles” project (POLONEZ/MSCA Co-Fund). The paper presents the multidisciplinary approach displayed to document and better understand the context of production of this textile, which represents an exceptional piece of heritage of north African nomadic communities.