Site Vindolanda Context Vindolanda Excavation year 1973

Dimensions L. 80 mm W. 250 mm Preservation state organic Fabric structure 2/2 twill Twill pattern diamond Pattern repeat Reverse, with full displacement, after 7 threads of weft (2), 10 of warp (1).

Edges Hollow selvedge: The single hollow selvedge (c. 8 cm long and 4 mm wide) is worn, damaged and felted, so that without destructive analysis no precise record can be made. It is quite certain, however, that 8 single warp-threads form the basis of the selvedge, Z-spun and identical with the main warp. Selvedge type tubular Other features Weaving faults. Fault 1: a discrepancy in the order of the opening of the sheds. After the normal sequence of 7 sheds (a, b, c, d, a, b, c) there is displacement to shed a, but no reversal of direction in the weave; shed a is followed by b-c d until the full sequence of 4 sheds is complete. Then comes the reversal. Presumably the weaver completed the sequence for mechanical reasons; she may not have wished, perhaps, to return to shed a immediately after an incorrectly opened shed b. If the weaver was working in the opposite direction to that assumed above, any explanation of the fault is clumsier. Fault 2: a discrepancy in the thread-up of the heddles. The regular reverse is after 10 warp-threads. In one case 14 warp threads are taken instead of 10, but corrected in the next group by taking only 6 to make up the full total of 20 threads in 2 groups. Fleece analysis MLR b, true fine; a, fine/generalised medium.

Description An edge adjacent to the hollow selvedge may have been turned and hemmed. There are traces of running stitch in dark brown wool thread, 2-ply, S-plied from weak Z-spun yarns. Types of stitch running stitch Sewing yarn fibre wool Sewing yarn structure plied Sewing yarn twist direction S2z