The medieval archaeological textiles of Wieluń Land Cover Image

Średniowieczne tekstylia archeologiczne terenu Ziemi Wieluńskiej
The medieval archaeological textiles of Wieluń Land

Author(s): Łukasz Antosik
Subject(s): Archaeology, Local History / Microhistory
Published by: Wieluńskie Towarzystwo Naukowe
Keywords: Wieluń; textiles

Summary/Abstract: Textiles are highly biodegradable, and therefore rarely appear during archaeological exca- vations. As a consequence, only a small amount of historical textiles have survived to the present day. Fabrics made of vegetable fibres (e.g. flax, hemp) decompose most rapidly, while those made of animal fibres decompose at a slower rate. This article considers 13 textile artefacts: three fragments of wool, plant material products, and others that we have not been able to identify the composition of. All the artefacts come from medieval archaeological sites in the town of Wielun. These include 11th and 12th-century cem- eteries in Masłowice and Dębin respectively, as well as a 14th-century settlement in Widoradz and a 15th-century site in Wielun. In the case of early medieval products, we discovered that only plain weaves, the simplest and most commonly used form, survived. The collection is complemented by the remains of strings or threads, of which there are five fragments. Among the late medieval relics, only three parts of one rope survive (Widoradz), along with some felt (Wieluń). All materials are typical of medieval products.

  • Issue Year: 15/2015
  • Issue No: 15
  • Page Range: 31-40
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Polish