Pompeii 18069 (type 2) 2/2 weft-faced twill (tight)

Catalogue number Ts 224 Inventory number 18069 Holding institution Archaeological Park of Pompeii Description 36 fragments. Max. dimension 22 x 12 cm; Min. dimension 1 x 3 cm. The fragments were likely pat of a semicircular cloack. The threads are smooth, and the fibres lie parallel within the threads. The textile shows needle-worked edges and areas where mending and reinforcement interventions can be identified.

Context

Site Pompeii Context House of House of the Mosaic Doves (VIII, 2, 34-35) Excavation year 1885

Basic information

Object condition fragmentary Preservation state carbonised Object type cloak Fabric structure 2/2 weft-faced twill

	System 1	System 2
Material	wool	wool
Fibre identification method	SEM	SEM
Colour
Yarn structure	plied	single
Twist strength
Twist	S2z	z
Twist angle average
Twist angle range	25 - 27	27 - 30
Diameter average
Diameter range	0.2	0.2
Thread count average
Thread count range	32	68

FURTHER DETAILS

Edges Needlework edging: the edging resembles a narrow tape in tabby weave on the obverse face of the fragment, with closely spaced, large plain overcast stitches perpendicular to the edge on the reverse face; 9 continuous 'warp' elements are running parallel to the edge, 3 threads running along reverse side of edge, 2 thread along the cross section and 4 threads along the obverse side of edge; These elements are intersected orthogonally by more widely spaced threads, following a 1:1 tabby weave ratio, which are clearly visible on the reverse of the textile. Fleece analysis The fibres constituting the textile surface have an average diameter of 20 μm (min. 11 – max. 38 μm) and show prominent cuticular scales with smooth edges. Occasional elements with a diameter greater than 38 μm exhibit the disappearance of the central medulla. The sewing threads show fibres that are more degraded than those used for the fabric structure. Quality: AAA+, 95% < 25 µm (Classification method: Rast-Eicher 2008, Coletti 2025, p. 60).

Sewing

Description Numerous holes left by sewing threads are visible across the textile surface. Traces of mending carried out using a technique comparable to the “couching stitch” are documented on five fragments. This method consists of threads laid on the textile surface and secured by short intersecting stitches passing beneath two weft threads. The yarn is clearly visible on only one side of the fabric, where its sinuous, “serpentine” course can be observed. The threads applied in this manner are fixed with knots, occasionally identifiable among the dense weft threads. The fragments are in extremely poor condition, making it difficult to reconstruct the original pattern of thread insertion in the fabric. Nevertheless, the stitches are interpreted as functional rather than decorative, as they occur in limited areas of the textile (c. 2–3 cm) and lack any defined form or arrangement. Repair ✓ Types of stitch , couching Sewing yarn fibre wool Sewing yarn structure S2z Sewing yarn twist direction S2z Sewing yarn diam 0.4 Sewing yarn 2 fibre wool Sewing yarn 2 structure single Sewing yarn 2 twist direction z Sewing yarn 2 diameter 0.3

References

Coletti, Francesca. I tessuti di Pompei e d’Area Vesuviana. A3TEX Series, I. Roma: Edizioni Quasar, 2025.

Data recorded by Francesca Coletti Data entered by Francesca Coletti Date of study 2019