[Regia-NA] Woven Silk

[Carolyn Priest-Dorman]

Lori wrote:

>I thought I would ask first if
>anyone on the list has any information they would share regarding the types
>of weaves found in silk fabric during our time period in relationship to the
>Anglo-Saxons.

Leaving aside the silk tablet weaving, silk textiles found in this context 
were of two major types:  solid color tabby weaves (taffeta or "broadcloth" 
equivalent, not "raw silk" or habotai equivalent) and polychrome samitum 
(aka "silk twill").  It is possible the Oseberg finds will provide another 
type (the bandwoven "brocaded silk" piece), but until those are published 
properly it's really hard to know.

Tabby silks *did* come in color effects--stripes and multicolored 
checks--at this period, but I don't think I know of any in an Anglo-Saxon 
or Viking context.  They're more typically found in Frankish or Frisian 
relic collections or treasuries.  The only piece of houndstooth (which is a 
tabby weave with color effect) silk  I've ever seen reported in an early 
medieval context was from a 7th century Alamannic grave--what a surprise!

The samitum type of silk is a compound weave structure.  It has two warp 
systems, an ordered series of differently colored wefts, a 1/2 twill 
surface texture, and woven-in polychrome patterning.  Silks in typical 
plain twill weaves such as herringbone are not appropriate for this 
purpose.  Neither are brocades or jacquards or damasks.  An argument can be 
made for lampas weaves, but it's so hard to find one in an appropriate 
pattern and color scheme that they might just as well not exist, for our 
purposes. ;<

I use medium-weight silk taffeta in solid colors when I want to add a bit 
of silk trim.  (But only *one* of my current garments actually has any silk 
on it; being a farmer's wife, I'm not what you'd call flashy.)


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