Period: The Middle Ages (c. 1050-1536)

Project title: Vægtvæv kontra trampevæv – to vævetypers indflydelse på et tekstils visuelle udtryk. Pilotprojekt.

Researcher: Kathrine Vestergård Pedersen, Museum at Trelleborg, Slagelse

E-mail: kathrine(at)textilarkeolog.dk

Year: 2007

Abstract:

In the course of the Middle Ages in Scandinavia, a marked shift occurred in the way in which textiles were made. Old techniques and tools were replaced by completely new ones. The distaff was replaced by the spinning wheel, the wool comb was replaced by the carding brush, and the warp-weighted loom was replaced by the foot-powered loom.

The question is whether the changeover only happened because the new tools and techniques were more efficient, or whether there were other reasons. The theory behind this experiment is that the change to a great extent was due to a change in fashion and in the desired appearance of garments.

Thus the aim of the experiment was to reveal the importance of the loom type for the final appearance of the textiles. Two test series were woven on respectively a warp-weighted loom and a foot-powered loom.

The immediate results were a little disappointing as the two test series appeared nearly identical, and the grey warp thread resulted in such a mottled look that differences were not easily distinguished. Backlighted, however, the differences in the textiles were obvious: in the test from the warp-weighted loom the warp thread created dark and light stripes, while there were no visible stripes in the test from the foot-powered loom.

Reference number: HAF 04/07