Slavic Textiles of the Last Quarter of the 1st Millennium AD: Study Results

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the state of research and the introduction into scientific circulation of data on Slavic fabrics of the last quarter of the first millennium AD. In order to establish potential research opportunities, the general state of the study of fabrics in Ukraine according to archaeological remains is examined. Until now, the fabrics of the Slavs of the first quarter of the 1st millennium AD on the territory of modern Ukraine have not been studied. Their study is now available on the basis of fabric prints on clay products (13), as well as on the iron plate (1); the findings of actual fabrics of this period are currently unknown to the researchers. Such prints should be considered accidental, and their findings are extremely rare. It is hardly possible to count on further fast filling of this database. Local fabrication is not in doubt. Potentially, the existence of raw materials is evidenced by biological definitions (plants — flax and hemp; animals — sheep / goats) and the existence of the possibility of getting wool (spring scissors). The findings of spindle whorls directly certify the manufacture of threads. According to the imprints of the fibers, the existence of threads of both plant and animal origin was established. In four cases from Radychivske 3, the use of a stronger thread of vegetable origin for the warp and of animal thread for wefting was witnessed. In this way a better wear resistance of the fabric was achieved. The fabrics were plain weave, mostly the simplest, but from Radychivskе 3 comes their more complex type — mat R 4/4. The prevalence of this type should be left in question. A wide range of thread compressibility is indicated. It is from 0.03 to 2.5 mm. However, the thinnest of them probably indicate the wear of the fabric. Accordingly, the tissue density also differed significantly. The imprint with the densest weave — 23 × 23 n./cm2, comes from an iron plate. Probably, accidental prints on ceramics indicate that the potter may have had a rag of coarse cloth under his hands. Twist types (S and Z) are unlikely to reflect technological processes; instead, they may indicate the protective nature of the manufacture of threads. The twist angle (giving strength to the thread), which indicates the use of stronger threads for the warp is more important. Thus, the production of fabrics by the Slavs of the first quarter of the 1st millennium AD on the territory of modern Ukraine should be considered predominantly simple (though not primitive). Craftsmen used different raw materials, knew their benefits and could combine threads in the manufacture of fabric to improve its durability. The same is evidenced by the use of threads with different twisting angles.