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Tools, Textiles and Contexts
 We dedicate this book to Betchen Barber,
the pioneer of the study of Aegean Bronze Age textiles.
 an offprint from
ANCIENT TEXTILES SERIES VOL. 21

Tools, Textiles and Contexts

Investigating Textile Production in the Aegean
and Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age

Hardcover Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-472-2

Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78297-051-4

edited by
Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
with the editorial and analytical assistance of Joanne Cutler

© Oxbow Books 2015

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Published in the United Kingdom in 2015 by
OXBOW BOOKS
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© Oxbow Books and the individual authors 2015

Hardcover Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-472-2

Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78297-051-4

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tools, textiles and contexts : textile production in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Bronze
Age / edited by Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch.
pages cm. -- (Ancient textiles series; vol. 21)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-84217-472-2 (hardback)
1. Bronze age--Middle East. 2. Textile fabrics, Prehistoric--Middle East. 3. Neolithic period--
Middle East. 4. Bronze age--Aegean Islands (Greece and Turkey) 5. Neolithic period--Aegean
Islands (Greece and Turkey) 6. Middle East--Antiquities. 7. Aegean Islands (Greece and Turkey)-
-Antiquities. I. Strand, Eva B. Andersson, editor. II. Nosch, Marie-Louise, editor.
GN778.32.N4T66 2015
939.4--dc23
2015027222

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Front cover: clockwise: MM II Quartier Mu, Malia, Crete, map (after Poursat 1996, pl. 81),
spindle whorls from Phaistos, Crete (courtesy of P. Militello), Khania, Crete, Late Bronze Age
ribbon, reconstructed loom weights in TTTC experiments.
Back cover: Splicing (drawing: Annika Jeppsson)
Contents

Introduction.........................................................................................................................................................................................vii

Chapter 1  Research history

1.1 An introduction to the investigation of archaeological textile tools.................................................................................1
Lorenz Rahmstorf
1.2 An introduction to experimental archaeology and textile research................................................................................ 25
Linda Olofsson

Chapter 2  The basics of textile tools and textile technology – from fibre to fabric........................................................ 39
Eva Andersson Strand

Chapter 3  Survey of archaeological textile remains from the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean area..................... 61
Irene Skals, Susan Möller-Wiering and Marie-Louise Nosch

Chapter 4  The TTTC experiments

4.1 Experimental testing of Bronze Age textile tools............................................................................................................ 75
Linda Olofsson, Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
4.2 External examination of spinning and weaving samples................................................................................................101
Susan Möller-Wiering
4.3 Test of loom weights and 2/2 twill weaving....................................................................................................................119
Linda Olofsson and Marie-Louise Nosch
4.4 Weaving with crescent shaped loom weights. An investigation of a special kind of loom weight.........................127
Agnete Wisti Lassen
4.5 From tools to textiles, concluding remarks.......................................................................................................................139
Eva Andersson Strand

Chapter 5  The TTTC database

5.1 Introduction to the CTR database......................................................................................................................................145
Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
5.2 Mathematical analysis of the spindle whorl and loom weight data in the CTR database.........................................153
Richard Firth
vi Contents

Chapter 6  Textile tools in contexts

6.1 Textile tools and textile production – studies of selected Bronze Age sites: introduction.......................................191
Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.2 Textile tools from Khania, Crete, Greece..........................................................................................................................197
Maria Bruun-Lundgren †, Eva Andersson Strand and Birgitta P. Hallager
6.3 Textile tools from Ayia Triada, Crete, Greece..................................................................................................................207
Pietro Militello, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.4 Textile tools from Phaistos, Crete, Greece........................................................................................................................215
Pietro Militello, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.5 Textile tools from Quartier Mu, Malia, Crete, Greece....................................................................................................229
Jean-Claude Poursat, Françoise Rougemont, Joanne Cutler, Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
6.6 Textile tools from Akrotiri, Thera, Greece.......................................................................................................................243
Iris Tzachili, Stella Spantidaki, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.7 Textile tools from Midea, mainland Greece......................................................................................................................247
Katie Demakopoulou, Ioannis Fappas, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.8 Textile production at Mycenae, mainland Greece............................................................................................................253
Iphiyenia Tournavitou, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.9 Textile tools from Tiryns, mainland Greece.....................................................................................................................267
Lorenz Rahmstorf, Małgorzata Siennicka, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.10 Textile tools from Thebes, mainland Greece....................................................................................................................279
Maria Emanuela Alberti, Vassilis Aravantinos, Ioannis Fappas, Athina Papadaki, Françoise Rougemont,
Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.11 Textile tools from Archontiko, northern Greece.............................................................................................................293
Evi Papadopoulou, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.12 Textile tools from Sitagroi, northern Greece....................................................................................................................299
Ernestine S. Elster, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
6.13 Textile tools from Troia, western Anatolia........................................................................................................................309
Marta Guzowska, Ralf Becks, Eva Andersson Strand, Joanne Cutler and Marie-Louise Nosch
6.14 Textile tools from Apliki, Cyprus.......................................................................................................................................329
Joanna S. Smith, Joanne Cutler, Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
6.15 Textile tools from Kition, Cyprus.......................................................................................................................................337
Joanna S. Smith, Joanne Cutler, Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch
6.16 Textile tools from Tel Kabri, Israel....................................................................................................................................347
Assaf Yasur-Landau, Nurith Goshen, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler

Chapter 7  Summary of results and conclusions....................................................................................................................351

Eva Andersson Strand and Marie-Louise Nosch

Appendices
Appendix A: Textile remains in the Eastern Mediterranean area: Neolithic and Chalcolithic.....................................385
Appendix B: Textile remains in the Eastern Mediterranean area: Bronze Age..............................................................392

Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................................................................................402
Chapter 6.11

Textile tools from Archontiko,

northern Greece
Evi Papadopoulou, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch
and Joanne Cutler

Archontiko is a tell settlement, situated in Papanthimou et al. 2003; Papadopoulou et al.

northern Greece. Systematic excavation at 2010; Papanthimou and Papadopoulou in
Fig. 6.11.1. House A the site has brought to light three successive press). House interiors were equipped with
(from west). Detail of building horizons that belong to the Early various types of clay features, namely storage
its interior. A group of Bronze Age period. The earliest one, Phase bins and thermal structures, that were preserved
clay storage bins and IV, is dated to 2135–2020 BC and has yielded in good condition (Papaefthymiou et al. 2007).
some thermal structures seven oblong post-framed houses that were Phase IV strata were uncovered over an area of
characterise its fixed destroyed by a fire incident which produced 220 m2 and yielded 160 artifacts related to textile
equipment (photo: rich archaeological deposits often containing production. Spindle whorls, loom weights and
Papanthimou and Pilali contexts of closed finds (Papaefthymiou- rounded sherds constitute the basic textile tool
2003, 26–27).
categories.
The tools recorded in the TTTC database
originate from a Phase IV building, House A, and
constitute a closed assemblage representative of
domestic textile production at EBA Archontiko
(Fig. 6.11.1)
Although only partially excavated, House
A yielded a total of 33 textile tools, namely 27
loom weights and six spindle whorls that were
collected from a surface area of c. 23 m2 (Fig.
6.11.2).

Spindle whorls and spinning

The six recorded spindle whorls from House A
(four conical, one flattened biconical and one
cylindrical) vary in weight from 25 g to 68 g,
indicating that the Archontiko spinners could
have spun different types of yarn by choosing
294 Evi Papadopoulou, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler

different whorls (Figs. 6.11.3 and 6.11.4). The 6.11.5). There is, however, one example that is
yarn, according to the results of the spinning a naturally perforated irregular pebble. Twenty-
tests, would generally be quite thick, however three of the loom weights had a recordable
(see chapters 2 and 4.1). weight and thickness; their weight varies from
154 g to 1179 g and their thickness varies from
4.1 cm to 8.8 cm (Fig. 6.11.6).
Loom weights and weaving Twelve loom weights (11 clay weights and
Fig. 6.11.2. Textile tools Twenty-six of the recorded loom weights from the naturally perforated pebble) were found
from House A, EBA, House A are pyramidal truncated in shape and near a clay storage bin at the eastern end of the
Phase IV, by type and are made of clay (17 are made of fired clay, five house (Trench ID-Y). The weight of the clay
context. of unfired clay and four are unspecified) (Fig. loom weights varies from 220 g to 337 g and
the thickness from 4.1 cm to 5.8 cm (Fig. 6.11.4)
These loom weights could all be used in the same
  Spindle whorl Loom weight Total setup, with thread needing c. 15–20 g tension.
Trench IG, House A 4 8 12 Used in a tabby weave with thread requiring
Trench IG-ID, House A   1 1 c. 15 g tension, the resulting fabric would have
Trench IG-P, House A 2 2 4 c. 6–9 warp threads per centimetre; with thread
Trench ID, House A   4 4 needing c. 20 g tension, the thread count would
Trench ID-Y, House A   12 12 be c. 4–7 threads per centimetre (Fig. 6.11.7).
Total 6 27 33 However, in a balanced weave the finished
textile would have been open, and it is therefore
likely that the textile would have been weft
faced. These loom weights could also have been
used for producing different types of twills,
with a resulting denser fabric (approximately
double the thread count of a tabby weave).
Even this fabric would have been quite open if
balanced, and it is likely that the textile would
Fig. 6.11.3. Spindle have been slightly weft faced. If this group of
whorls, EBA, Phase IV, loom weights was used in the same tabby setup,
House A (photo: courtesy with six loom weights in the front row and six
of E. Papadopoulou). loom weights in the back row, the width of the

Fig. 6.11.4. Spindle

whorls, EBA, Phase IV,
House A: context and
weight/diameter.
6.11  Textile tools from Archontiko, northern Greece 295

fabric would have been c. 26.5 cm, which has to or more; the four loom weights from Trench
be considered as a narrow fabric. If producing ID, located at the east part of the house would
a twill fabric with four rows of loom weights, also only work well with thread requiring c. 40
the width would be only c. 13.2 cm. g tension or more.
A group of eight loom weights was recovered
near the centre of the house (Trench IG). They Summary
have a heavier weight and larger thickness Fig. 6.11.5. Pyramidal
than the loom weights from Trench ID-Y The number of tools from Archontiko loom weights, EBA,
(Fig. 6.11.6). Seven of the loom weights vary presented in this chapter is small, but the 33 Phase IV, House
in weight from 468 g to 600 g and have a objects recorded reveal a considerable diversity A (Trench ID-Y)
thickness of 5.5–6.3 cm. The eighth loom in the textile production. The same picture also (photo: courtesy of E.
weight weighs 1134 g and is 8.3 cm thick, and emerges from the study of the textile toolkits Papadopoulou).
would not have functioned optimally with the
other weights in the same loom setup. The
seven loom weights would all function with
thread needing c. 20 g to 50 g tension (Fig.
6.11.8). In a tabby weave with thread requiring
c. 20 g tension, the warp thread count would
be c. 8–11 threads per centimetre, whereas with
thread needing c. 50 g tension the thread count
would be c. 3–4 threads per centimetre (in a
twill the thread count would be approximately
double). In both a tabby and a twill weave, the
fabrics could have been quite balanced. The
total thickness of the loom weights is 41.3 cm.
In a tabby setup with eight loom weights with a
similar weight and thickness (four in the front
row and four in the back row), the width of
the fabric would be a minimum of 23.6 cm,
which has to be considered as a narrow fabric.
The heavier loom weight weighing 1134 g could
only function with yarn needing c. 40 g tension

Fig. 6.11.6. Loom

weights, EBA, Phase
IV, House A: context
and weight/thickness.
296 Evi Papadopoulou, Eva Andersson Strand, Marie-Louise Nosch and Joanne Cutler
Fig. 6.11.7. Loom Warp thr/cm 10 g N=9 15 g, N=11 20 g, N=11 25 g, N=9 30 g, N=6 35 g, N=1
weights, EBA, Phase
IV, House A, Trench 3 thr            
ID-Y: weight tension/ 4 thr     1 3 5 1
number of threads per 5 thr     4 5 1  
cm in a tabby. The total 6 thr   1 3 1    
number of analysed loom 7 thr   5 3      
weights is 11. 8 thr   3        
9 thr 1 2        
10 thr 1          
11 thr 3          
12 thr 3          
13 thr 1          

Warp thr/cm 20 g, N=7 25 g, N=7 30 g, N=7 35 g, N=7 40 g, N=7 45 g, N=7 50 g, N=7 55 g, N=2 60 g, N=2
3 thr             3   1
4 thr         3 6 4 2 1
5 thr     2 5 4 1      
6 thr   2 4 2          
7 thr   2 1            
8 thr 3 2              
9 thr 1 1              
10 thr 2                
11 thr 1                

Fig. 6.11.8. Loom recovered from other contemporaneous
weights, EBA, Phase houses belonging to Phase IV as well as from
IV, House A, Trench the two successive EBA Phases II and III
IG: weight tension/ (Papadopoulou 2012; 2002, unpublished).
number of threads per The yarns produced with the spindle whorls
cm in a tabby. The total
number of analysed loom
would have been suitable for several types of
weights is seven. fabrics, as suggested by the analyses of the
loom weights.
For example, the thread spun with the
whorls weighing 55 g or more would have
probably functioned very well in the weaves
with the heavy loom weights weighing more
than 900 g. The result would have been a
coarse textile with few but thick threads per
centimetre. The spindle whorls weighing
between 25–40 g would have been optimal for
producing yarn that needed c. 20 g tension or
more on the loom.
The majority of the tools are considered to
have been made in a good production quality.
The majority of the loom weights (except for
the stone weight) are of the same type regarding
shape. As far as the material and the surface
treatment there is some diversity, since the light
group consists of fired and polished weights,
whereas the other two categories are mainly
made of unfired clay and are burnished. Four
of the six spindle whorls were of the same type
and shape. This fact does not seem coincidental,
and suggests considerable knowledge of how to
produce textiles in an optimal way.
The textile production in Archontiko
appears to have been well developed. The
spinners and weavers knew how different
types of tools affected the final products and
also the tools themselves were well made. The
analysis of the spindle whorls demonstrates
that the spinners spun different types of yarn;
the variation within the loom weights and the
variation within the spindle whorls indicate
that the people of Archontiko produced many
different types of textiles with both thin and
thick threads and in balanced, open and/or
weft faced weaves.
6.11  Textile tools from Archontiko, northern Greece
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