Investigations Into The Dyeing Industry In Pompeii

The scale of processing associated with the dyeing industry in Pompeii is a controversial subject. This investigation uses a new multi-disciplinary triangulated approach, providing an understanding of the significance of the industry that is grounded in engineering and archaeological principles, but within the context of Pompeii.

This book is the publication of a series of lectures and experiments that were undertaken at the First and Second European Textile Forum in 2009 and 2010. Each had a new approach, exploring a question of textile manufacture in a scientific way, revealing answers and outcomes that were unavailable before.

Ancient Textiles Modern Science II follows the success of the first proceedings, published in 2013, that catalogued the Forum's formative years. This proceedings highlights the range of subjects and approaches, from improved forms of notation for nålbinding and terminology for non-woven fabric structures, to presentation and practical interpretation of new and unique discoveries from Lengberg Castle and of Roman leather underpants. The significance of unrealised assumptions and unappreciated historic decisions is shown through the discovery of weaving tablets unrecognised during their excavation and the effects of water supply on the outcome of dyeing in Pompeii. Practical investigations of historic resist dyeing, methods to selectively colour early Byzantine embroidery after its completion, and how the choice of metal in dyeing kettles influences dyeing outcomes make up the rest of this volume. The European Textile Forum provides a place where ideas can be exchanged and aims to give a good practical foundation for further research. The end result is an understanding of each aspect of historic textiles that is greater than the sum of its individual parts., The Forum continues to explore textile artefacts, tools, methods of production, recording notation and the historic and contemporary meaning of textiles.

There is a growing trend among archaeologists to re-create artefacts and actions at a 1:1 scale in order to answer questions and gain new insights into the past. In November 2007, the University of Exeter hosted a one-day conference on experimental archaeology, and it was soon discovered that experience is a key issue in understanding the use of materials and past processes. Papers presented in this volume consider both theoretical issues and practical case studies. The scope ranges from skinning animals or dyeing wool the Roman way, to producing sound with flint tools, carving stone on Chalcolithic Cyprus, or casting bronze objects both as art and science in Ireland. The eight chapters in this book demonstrate the myriad possibilities of archaeology by experiment. Experimental archaeology is multi-disciplinary by nature, with examples from anthropology, ethnography, taxidermy, finite element analysis and manufacturing systems theory all being present in this volume. Not only does this sub-discipline have a colourful and meaningful past, but it will surely have a significant future.

This text on textile conservation includes sections on identification and deterioration of textile materials, archaeological textiles, learning from the present and the past, characterising and monitoring textiles, and annotating textile biographies.