Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
TEXTILE STRUCTURES AND TECHNIQUES IDENTIFIED IN NEOLITHIC AND COPPERAGE SITES FROM ROMANIA Paula MAZÄRE “1 Decembrie 1918” University, Alba Iulia, RO Proofs of textile activity for Neolithic and Copper Age were mostly ignored in Romanian archaeology and therefore this territory is still poorly represented on the map of prehistoric textile finds. This is why the current study is focused on cataloguing all the types of textile structures that were identified to this day in Neolithic and Copper Age for the territory of Romania. A careful consideration was given to the main techniques that provided these structures, each with its own succinct presentation. Mostly preserved as textile imprints on pottery, the structures were recovered from about 21 archaeological sites belonging to Neolithic and Copper Age, dated between 5500-3500 BC approximately. Eight types of textile structures were identified and classified in four major technical groups: needle looped, interlinked, twined and woven textiles. Of these, twined and woven textiles are most frequent and they seem to belong to particular and distinct areas of technological knowledge that follow each other from the chronological point of view. Twined textiles are generally roughly done and are dated, with one exception, between the beginning of Middle Neolithic to the Late Neolithic and Early Copper Age (ca. 5500-4500 BC). Opposed to this, weaved textiles are mostly dated in the Middle to Late Copper Age (ca. 4300-3500 BC). Needle loped and interlinked textiles are also of a later date, somewhere between 4500-3500 BC approximately. This varied chronological distribution of the main technological types could provide new clues towards defining the evolution of textile production for the Neolithic and AeneolithidCopper Age communities. It also brings new clues into the study of broad usage of textile technology and products, especially since weaving is seen as one of the least known and documented textile techniques for the Neolithic period. Keywords: archaeological textiles, textile structures, textile technologies, textile imprints, weaving, twining, needle looping, interlinking methods, net-like fabrics, plain weave, warp-faced weave, Neolithic, Copper Age In the last decades the study of archaeological textiles has seen a remarkable development in Western Europe, revealing the importance that these artefacts had in the lives of the prehistoric people. Although rather timid, the interest for textiles and textile production has started to take shape in Romanian archaeology in the last years. The works of C. Marian and her collaborators, dedicated to textile imprints on pottery belonging to Cucuteni culture (Marian 2006; 2008; 2009; Marian-Anästäsoaei 2007; Marian-Bigbaev 2008; Marian-Ciocoiu 2004a; 2004b; 2005; Marian Et Al. 2004; 2005; 2007; Valeanu-Marian 2004), and the studies of D. Prisecaru (2009a; 2009b) on Bronze Age textile tools, provide promising data for this area of study. MARISIA XXXI, p. 27-48
