Site Vindolanda Context Vindolanda ditch Excavation year 1985 Site phase

Preservation state organic Object type matting Relative quality heavy Fabric structure tabby Warp and weft identified ✓

Colours Dark brown; near selvedge: off-white fleece, red colour yarn in system 5. Dark Brown yarn in system 2. Pattern the dark- and light-brown stripes in the warp clearly visible in the selvedge zone (and on the back of the fabric) and in the contrasting areas of dark- and light-brown pile are for decorative effect, possibly once enhanced by dyeing. Whether the isolated groups of dark-brown knots on a light-brown background are intentional is not certain. Pattern element stripe Edges Plain selvedge: weft returns 1/1 into web; warp sequence from outside (fig 00): 8 dark warp A threads, then (probably) 8 light warp B (locally missing), then probably 4 warp A, then probably 7 light warp B, then regular alternation of a (thin) dark warp A and a (thicker) light warp B in ground weave; the first 16 (thin) warp A threads are clasped by 8 dark knots, then light knots clasp warp A threads over rest of textile (except for 2 instances of just 3 dark knots, see fig 00). Selvedge zone free of knots c.35mm wide. Surviving length of intact selvedge 130mm. Selvedge type simple Other features Two types of plied warp, A - darker, B - lighter. Similar diameter but warp B is actually thicker than warp A. Yarn count of A + B is c. 8-9 per cm (39 per 50 mm). Weft is made of soft dark-brown 3-ply yarn with variable diameter, spaced out (11 per 50 mm). The dark-brown warp and weft are both highly pigmented; the warp close to selvedge is off-white with suggestion of red dye; the knot yarns are white wool with suggestion of blue dye. One large, several small fragments. Weight (acc. Laure Meunier’s calculation): 1540g/m2 Pile of Ghiordes (symmetrical) knots (fig 00): each knot (whether dark- or light-brown) is built from 6 single weak Z-spun yarns (yarns c.0.5mm thick), not apparently twisted together (but might = 3 pairs); knots in succession weft-ways clasp adjacent pairs of (thinner) warp A threads, ignoring all (thicker) warp B threads; knots only inserted when shed drawing warp A forward is open (no knots clasp warp B threads); each successive knot warp-ways clasps same 2 warp A threads as its predecessor had done. Knot base 4-5mm across weft-ways, c.4mm warp-ways; once projecting knots (pile) now mostly worn down to level of base fabric (flattened fibres and fibrillated fibre ends [SEMs 93/46, 93/47 LL]). It was once clearly long enough to have a soft resilient handle. Both sides show evidence of long and intensive wear. Fragment TT/85/030/002 same fabric, 30 x 70 mm. Selvedge (max.l. 35mm), as on 030/001: selvedge zone and part of area of dark-brown knots survives. + c.13 further fragments, unnumbered, undraftable, totalling c.117cm² Use wear ✓