Loom weights as a research tool

 The function of loom weights was to stretch and space the warp threads on a vertical loom. The loom weight is often the only preserved remnant of a loom used in antiquity. Because of their ubiquity, loom weights are the main key to the study of textile production in the Iron Age in the Levant.During excavations loom weights are easy to recognize if they are made of metal, stone or ceramics. Within burnt layers, unfired clay loom weights can be accidentally fired and thus well preserved. But it is difficult to recognize and securely excavate unfired raw clay loom weights. The two main problems are:1. Unfired loom weights disintegrate when they get wet.2. When excavating a mudbrick site, the clay of the loom weights resembles the matrix they were found in.Clay loom weights were sometimes fired, resulting in durable terracotta weights, but the majority were made of unfired clay. Unlike Staermose Nielsen (Staermose Nielsen, K.-H. In: Pritchard, F. and J.F. Wild (ed.). Northern Archaeological Textiles NESAT VII. Oxbow Books, Oxford, 2005:130), who states: “Groups of unbaked clay weights are the more numerous of all, but as clay loom weights reveal themselves on excavations only as disintegrated lumps, their usefulness in a classification is minimal.” For many excavations Staermose Nielsen is right. But that is because of the way the weights are excavated rather than preserved in the ground. I will demonstrate that clay loom weights, when properly excavated and preserved, can be classified and studied in a meaningful way, enabling us to reconstruct textile production. The practical part.I would like to share a registration form for loom weights to be used in excavations and research projects (see abstract link below). Your comments and ideas on my conceptual form are very welcome!  

Kallihinnalised meditsiiniseadmed ja nende kasutamine Eesti haiglates

Riigikontroll uuris oma hiljuti lõppenud auditis „Meditsiiniseadmete soetamine ja kasutamine tervishoiuasutustes”, milline on Eesti haiglate varustatus laialt kasutatavate kallihinnaliste meditsiini­seadmetega (röntgeniseadmed, kompuu­ter- ja magnetresonantstomograafi d), kuidas toimib nende meditsiiniseadme­te soetamise planeerimine, hooldus ja kasutamine ning kas riigi tegevus selles valdkonnas aitab kaasa ravikindlustuse raha tõhusale ja säästlikule kasutamise­le. Auditit ajendas tegema laialt levinud arvamus, et viimastel aastatel on Eesti haiglates toimunud kallihinnaliste medit­siiniseadmete osas „võidurelvastumine“ ning selle tulemusena on haiglatesse soe­tatud ebamõistlikke kallihinnalisi sead­meid. Riigikontrolli audit otseselt sellele kinnitust ei leidnud. Küll leiti auditiga, et paljud röntgeniseadmed Eesti haiglates ei vasta tänapäeva nõuetele, üldhaiglate kompuutertomograafid on alakoorma­tud, patsiendid ei saa alati ravijuhendiga ettenähtud uuringuid ning osale patsien­tidele on tehtud kallihinnalisi uuringuid, mis ei ole olnud põhjendatud. Eesti Arst 2008; 87(10):797−80

Loom: Query-aware Partitioning of Online Graphs

As with general graph processing systems, partitioning data over a cluster of machines improves the scalability of graph database management systems. However, these systems will incur additional network cost during the execution of a query workload, due to inter-partition traversals. Workload-agnostic partitioning algorithms typically minimise the likelihood of any edge crossing partition boundaries. However, these partitioners are sub-optimal with respect to many workloads, especially queries, which may require more frequent traversal of specific subsets of inter-partition edges. Furthermore, they largely unsuited to operating incrementally on dynamic, growing graphs. We present a new graph partitioning algorithm, Loom, that operates on a stream of graph updates and continuously allocates the new vertices and edges to partitions, taking into account a query workload of graph pattern expressions along with their relative frequencies. First we capture the most common patterns of edge traversals which occur when executing queries. We then compare sub-graphs, which present themselves incrementally in the graph update stream, against these common patterns. Finally we attempt to allocate each match to single partitions, reducing the number of inter-partition edges within frequently traversed sub-graphs and improving average query performance. Loom is extensively evaluated over several large test graphs with realistic query workloads and various orderings of the graph updates. We demonstrate that, given a workload, our prototype produces partitionings of significantly better quality than existing streaming graph partitioning algorithms Fennel and LDG

Studi Tentang Kain Songket di Studio Songket Sumatera Loom Kecamatan Ampek Angkek Kabupaten Agam (Studi Kasus)

Studio Songket Sumatra Loom able to revitalize songket songket-old, and capable of producing quality songket, also has its own characteristic songket, both in terms of yarn, color, pattern and shape of the resulting product. The purpose of this research is to describe the history of songket, yarn types, colors, patterns, and shapes of products in Studio Songket Sumatra Loom. The method used in this research is a case study with a qualitative approach. The technique of collecting data through observation, interviews and documentation. Collecting data using primary and secondary sources. The data analysis is done by using interactive analysis relating to the subject matter that is the data reduction, data display, and conclusion end. Results of the research: History Loom Studio Songket Sumatra, Sumatra leader Loom is Bernhard Bart. Bernhard was interested in the motives and complexity songket making techniques and finally Bernhard decided to open Studio Songket in 2005 which was formerly Erika Rianti, in 2013 the name changed to the name Loom Studio Songket Sumatra. Type of yarn used is silk threads and yarns macau (gold and silver) .warna used yellow gold, silver, red, black, pink, blue, purple, brown, green, orange, and gray. Has 22 motifs that resemble plants, animals, geometric shapes and custom words. The shape of the resulting product is complete the form salendang custom clothing, gloves, belts, sisamping, deta, dalamak and souvenirs in the form of wall hangings