[Regia-NA] Silk

[Carolyn Priest-Dorman]

Just a few tweaks to what Joy wrote:

>Silk, I think, was very rare in Anglo-Saxon England

Quite true, but more common in some locations and periods than in 
others.  For example, in "my" period, 4B at Jorvik (i.e., the one I've 
researched the most), silk is a surprisingly frequent find.  Most silk 
textiles in the period were elaborate and reserved to ecclesiastical use, 
whereas at Jorvik and some of the other urban sites (e.g., Lincoln and 
Winchester) can be found tabby silk textiles, silk ribbons and/or silk 
tablet weaving in addition to the more elaborate textiles.

>More likely, you would have seen silk threads for embroidery or tablet 
>weaving. Silk referenced in Crowfoot or Bender-Jorgensen indicate an "I" 
>twist to the threads.

A variety of twist directions are used on the Jorvik silks, of which by far 
the most common in sheer weight of cloth is the Z/I variant.  That is, the 
warp is Z-twisted reeled silk while the weft is untwisted reeled silk (also 
called "tram," and a lot of other names).  Other variants found in lesser 
numbers at Jorvik are Z/Z, S/S (on the ribbons), and S/I (the reliquary 
lining).

Generally speaking, the silks used for medieval tablet weaving are 
typically 2-ply reeled silk, i.e., organzine or something like it.

>Real raw silk is silk that still has the sericin (gum) in it.

There's a contemporary silk I/I tabby from Birka of this variety.

>What is sometimes called raw silk is really silk noil which, as I said 
>above, is waste silk. Silk noil fabrics are rough and textured looking 
>with a tendency to pill. An unlikely product in Anglo-Saxon England.

This type of silk, to my knowledge, does not appear in the west as a 
commercial product until somewhat later than the Anglo-Saxon period.  If 
it's slubby, matte, and has that characteristic smell we associate with 
silk, it's not right.

>Thora - please add your comments!!!!

If you're talking about the kind of silk textile to which a layperson might 
have access, then you'd be looking for a glossy plain tabby weave 
textile.  So, absent any other concerns, the shiny textile Leif has is 
definitely better than the matte one.  However, in addition to the usual 
considerations of surface appearance and colour, you also want to make sure 
the thread count isn't too fine.  Anna Muthesius talks about the wefts of 
these and related silk tabbies all running about 0.5mm in diameter, which 
is somewhat thicker than the threads used on modern "China" or "habotai" 
silks.  You're better off with a taffeta or broadcloth type silk than one 
of those lovely floaty fine ones.

The next important consideration is how to use the silk properly.  If 
you're making a woman's cap, or a reliquary pouch, or narrow trimmings for 
clothing, then you're all right.  Anything beyond that and you begin to 
slide down the slippery slope. ;>


Carolyn Priest-Dorman              Þóra Sharptooth
  http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/thora.html