[Regia-NA] Woven Silk

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Lori--

I'm glad you asked--both replies have been very helpful to me!

:)
--charlotte mayhew


----- Original Message -----
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To: <list-regia-na@lig.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 8:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Regia-NA] Woven Silk


> 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
>
>
>
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