Cotton textiles from the Byzantine period to the Medieval period in ancient Palestine

Abstract

In ancient Palestine, the early presence of cotton textiles can only be attested by one net dated to the Roman period. Cotton was first imported in small quantities during the Byzantine period, in the 5th-7th c. CE. During the Early Islamic Period, in the 7th century CE, wool was still dominant in Palestine, while important groups of cotton textiles were notably found at Nahal ‘Omer. They were mostly made of Z-spun threads and included precious ikats. Cotton textiles such as garments and shrouds (mostly S-spun) were discovered at Qasr el-Yahud, on the west bank of the Jordan River, dated to the 8th-9th c. CE. Cotton fragments, including resist-dyed textiles, have also been discovered at Cave 38 in the Qarantal cliff above Jericho, and date from the 9th century CE to the end of the 13th century CE. This article will provide the reader with a broad overview of cotton textile finds from the region, focusing on key sites but also listing the other discoveries. It will discuss the possible origin of the cotton textiles, and the co-development of the textile trade and local production, through the Late Antique and medieval periods.