Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY - Tünde HORVÁTH - Erzsébet MARTON: Prehistoric spinning and weaving objects from the Carpathian basin (Hungary)

weights (ground-loom). This hypothesis is supported by a Bronze Age representations: symbolic representations were found on 30 pots from the Nagyrév culture. Three of these pots show ground looms with kneeling weavers

9 (fig. 7). The probable meaning of these representations is supported by a seal of Babylon

10 (fig. 8), with a similar picture, but on the Nagyrév pots one can also see the finished textile on the ground loom, while on the Babylon seal only the warping is shown. Thus, in the Early and Middle Bronze Ages, both warp-weighted and ground looms were used. Hatvan culture vessels are distinguished by a decoration of textile imprints on the soft clay, applied prior to firing. Subsequently, this form of decoration was also borrowed by craftspeople in the Nagyrév and Vatya cultures (as is shown by decoration on pot sherds from Tószeg" (fig. 9) and Szigetszentmiklós

12 (fig. 10). Imprints of matting carpets is usually observable on floor surfaces from the Early and Middle Bronze Age tell settlements. During the Laie Bronze and Early Iron Ages, the warp-weighted loom is used: weights are known from Gór

13 and Velem - Szent Vid

14

, and a representation of loom was found at Sopron-Várhegy (fig. 11). Loom weights are also known from the La-Тепе Period. It is also this time when tabletsweaving first appeared in Denmark. Some words should also be said about raw-materials. During prehistoric times classical materials included flax, nettle, wool and reed. The use of hemp spread in the Carpathian Basin only from the Middle Ages. In addition to that plant, however, one must also reckon with other fibrous plant materials: inner bark from several tree species as well as wild flowers. No evidence is available concerning the preparation of yarn (carding, combing, stretching) The separation of spindles, bobbins and fibre combs from the Hungarian find material has not yet been carried out either. The second part of this paper discusses technological reconstruction and a weaving experiment, as well as the weaving loom from our authentic archaeological material. The raw material of the objects used in spinning and weaving is summarised below. This includes a collection of all bone, clay, textile and bronze remains and/or objects that may be brought into connection with spinning and weaving technology. This collection representing prehistoric weaving is as inadequate, as the find circumstances observed during the excavations. Some periods are very rich in finds (loom weights, pins, spindle whorls etc.), but look very poor in authentic figurai representations. Some others are rich in figurai representations and textile-decorated sherds, but lack any, or at least sufficient direct, reliable archaeological data. The find material This paper presents the first phase of our investigations, the collection of materials. Subsequent experiments and a would-be reconstruction will be based on this archaeological evidence. Although all the objects came from the excavations, the entire context is as fragmented as a piece of textile found in an excavation. 9 Kalicz-Schreiber, 1984 l0

Amiet, 1961 11 Ember, 1952 12 Kalicz-Schreiber, 1995 13 Personal communication by the excavator G. Hon 14 Marton, 1996 250