Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

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

Donut-shaped (fig. 14) Site: Velemszentvid Pit from the Late Iron Age (HaD2), Stratigraphie Unit 11/1988. (fig. 14) Measurements: height=8 cm dl=14 cm d2= 1-0.5x8 cm Debris level of the Celtic rampart, Stratigraphie Unit 93/1990 (Fig. 13) On the basis of surface abrasions the attachment of weights may be reconstructed as follows: "One double end was tied to each stone for every mark of the weight. There was a cord through the hole in each loom weight, and it was to this that the warp threads were fastened. It was sometimes necessary to tie two loom weights to one group of warp threads in order to balance one heavy weight, on the other half of the shed." We agree with E.J.W. Barber in the case of the donut and ring shaped weights. It may be supposed that they show the marks of abrasion due to the permanent attachment of a cord or of the warp threads

17

. See Velem - Szent Vid Stratigraphie Unit 5034/1991 (fig. 12). The disc and pyramid shaped weights represent exceptions. These weights were perforated at the top with such a small hole, that they could have been attached - as we suppose - with only a weak cord or with a single thread. Evaluation of data on these weights Most of the weights are fragmented. The question is their real weight, as well as the function of these weights. Marta Hoffmann writes about the stone loom weights: "The stones varied in weight and size from five to eight marks (250g). There had to be two stones of approximately equal weight to maintain a balance between the front threads and the back threads."

18 On the basis of this ethnographic analogy, we could hope, that the above mentioned weights belonged to a warp weighted loom. But with the exception of some symbolic figurai representations (see Part I), the original structure and function of loom weights found at excavations are unclear and remain thus undefined. Remains of the loom Százhalombatta In situ from the level of Late Bronze Age-Early Iron Age (Fig. 15). Pyramid shaped loom weights and post holes of a supposed loom. Fig. 16: Sun-dried pyramid shaped loom weights and post holes of a loom. Number of pyramid loom weights: 7. Estimated width of the loom: 200 cm. It may have been a warp weighted loom with seven pyramid-shaped, sun dried loom weights. Gór 16 Hoffmann, 1964. p. 42. 17 Barber, 1992. p. 104 18 Hoffmann, 1964. p. 42. 252