Textile production and consumption in Roman provinces and in free Germania – a 21st century perspective

The paper aims to present the state of research on Roman Period archaeological textiles and new, 21st century perspectives for further analyses. The textiles proves to be important from the viewpoint of provincial economy, trade and cultural exchange. That is why, a special emphasis is put on the textile types, which are called Roman imports.The paper aims to present the state of research on Roman Period archaeological textiles and new, 21st century perspectives for further analyses. The textiles proves to be important from the viewpoint of provincial economy, trade and cultural exchange. That is why, a special emphasis is put on the textile types, which are called Roman imports

Textiles in cultural relations between the Roman Empire and the Barbaricum (1st-3rd cent. AD)

Textiles in cultural relations between the Roman Empire and the Barbaricum (1st-3rd cent. AD) - autoreferat rozprawy doktorskie

Textiles, Dress and Politics: A Diachronic Perspective Through the Case Studies of Ancient Rome and Medieval Iceland

People dress for more than just aesthetic reasons. Over the centuries, dress became a sign of human civilization, allowing us to identify the origin, gender, and status of the wearer. Textiles and clothing influence our body, posture, movements, and the way we are perceived by society. Textiles are also a tool used by people to further their agenda, that is why they found their place in the political life of many ancient and modern societies. According to Michel Foucault, power can be understood as a set of activities influencing the life of the other: It provokes, forbids, or permits, but it can also facilitate or hinder the actions of its subjects. We understand policy as a game that subjects play to gain and sustain their power. Dress is a material visualization of rules, laws, social order, and identity. It determines and protects the power status of the wearer. Thus, dress is a political statement. The idea that textiles and politics intertwine has long been an accepted fact. However, the idea that ‘political’ textiles and dress might have specific similar traits across time and place, became a pressing question during the conference on Clothing Identities organised by Working Group 2 of the EuroWeb Cost Action (“Clothing Identities Conference”, 6–8 May 2022, online, organized by Magdalena Wozniak, Cecilie Brøns, and Paula Nabais). In this chapter, we aim to examine the question of the relationship between clothing and political life, and whether there are any common traits that make certain textiles or forms of dress a power marker. For this purpose, two different states have been chosen as case studies: Rome in the time of the Republic and Early Empire, and Medieval Iceland. The first was vast and expansive, the second rather small and isolated. Despite the time difference, they both represent a preindustrial level of development. In both cultures, textiles and dress were significant symbols of status and wealth, as certified by well-known historical treatises and law codes

Mieszkańcy naddunajskich prowincji Cesarstwa Rzymskiego. Sprawozdanie z konferencji: 5th International Conference on Roman Danubian Provinces – Romans and Natives in the Danubian Provinces (1st C. BC-6th C. AD)

Mieszkańcy naddunajskich prowincji Cesarstwa Rzymskiego. Sprawozdanie z konferencji: 5th International Conference on Roman Danubian Provinces – Romans and Natives in the Danubian Provinces (1st C. BC-6th C. AD)Mieszkańcy naddunajskich prowincji Cesarstwa Rzymskiego. Sprawozdanie z konferencji: 5th International Conference on Roman Danubian Provinces – Romans and Natives in the Danubian Provinces (1st C. BC-6th C. AD

Tkaniny w powieści Quo vadis? Henryka Sienkiewicza

Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel Quo Vadis? is well known for its historical accuracy. The background of the book shows a deepened studies on ancient literary sources conducted by its author. The aim of my paper was to answer a question whether descriptions of textiles in the novel are adequate to the present state of knowledge about ancient textiles. To achieve this goal fragments of literary sources were analyzed along with archaeological textiles found on different sites of former Roman Empire. For the purpose of this article I chose the most intriguing textiles described by H. Sienkiewicz. These are: silk, purple, cotton – the luxury textiles worn or used by the most noble of the novel’s characters, and goat’s hair clothes, woollen and linen textiles worn by other protagonists. The analysis shows that the author’s descriptions fits almost perfectly the information given by ancient literary sources. What is more, the archaeological data confirm the literary sources’ evidence. Of course, as a writer, H. Sienkiewicz was not obliged to follow the historical truth, but by his efforts to do so, he made his story more realistic and believable. The careful choice of textiles to enrich the world of Quo Vadis? reflects the Christian message of the novel. The luxury and colourful textiles are worn by the degenerate elite, dark and simple clothing is reserved for the people who do not care about secular world. Moreover, with his materials descriptions, H. Sienkiewicz creates the popular picture of the ancient Romans’ style and clothing

Ubiór czyni Rzymianina? Styl życia, folusznicy i romanizacja rzymskiej prowincji Panonii (I-III wiek n.e.).

The paper discusses the role of attire in the process of Romanization of Pannonia. Special emphasis is placed on the probability of clothes having been fulled in the province. Since fulling was a matter of personal interest, not necessity, the emergence of the fullonicae could be considered as a symptom of embracing Roman way of life and thus Roman culture.  The paper discusses the role of attire in the process of Romanization of Pannonia. Special emphasis is placed on the probability of clothes having been fulled in the province. Since fulling was a matter of personal interest, not necessity, the emergence of the fullonicae could be considered as a symptom of embracing Roman way of life and thus Roman culture. &nbsp

Misyjny wymiar duchowości Świętej Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus

Currently, 92 years have passed since the announcement of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, patron of the mission. There are still questions about the legitimacy of this act made by Pope Pius XI. However, this article focuses primarily on the timeliness of this patronage, and not on the act itself and its legitimacy. First, it presents the missionary life of the Saint of Lisieux, which is a de facto missionary feature of her spirituality, and then the “missionary thought” of Saint. Teresa of the Infant Jesus is juxtaposed with the teaching of the Church, represented by Vatican II and Redemptoris Missio John Paul II.Currently, 92 years have passed since the announcement of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, patron of the mission. There are still questions about the legitimacy of this act made by Pope Pius XI. However, this article focuses primarily on the timeliness of this patronage, and not on the act itself and its legitimacy. First, it presents the missionary life of the Saint of Lisieux, which is a de facto missionary feature of her spirituality, and then the “missionary thought” of Saint. Teresa of the Infant Jesus is juxtaposed with the teaching of the Church, represented by Vatican II and Redemptoris Missio John Paul II

O warsztatach tkackich w starożytnym Rzymie słów kilka

The  most important source for the research into weaving products are excavated fabrics. By defining its weave, spin direction of the thread, raw materials used or the employed dyestuff the origin of the fabric may be determined, as well as the loom on which it was weft. Iconography is also greatly useful in the reconstruction of weaving work.  The first loom known inRomewas the vertical warp-weighted loom. This loom, despite offering the possibility of weaving very broad fabrics, quickly went out of use inItaly, probably because weaving on it requires earlier preparation, such as weaving the starting border. Also, we do not know any representation of this type of loom in Roman art.  The vertical two-beam loom resembles the warp-weighted loom, with the exception that the row of weights is replaced with a horizontal beam. It is easier to use, as it does not require preliminary work, so weaving can be begun at once.     We also know representations of this loom in Roman art, which facilitate the reconstruction of its use in antiquity.The most interesting issue is the question of familiarity with the horizontal loom. The written sources do not mention it, nor is there any representation in art that we know of, therefore we must rely on what the fabrics themselves present. However, one may venture a claim that the more complicated the pattern, the greater the likelihood of the horizontal loom having been used.   Furthermore, its knowledge might be attested to by the contents of Diocletian’s edict.One cannot underestimate the evidence for the existence of a horizontal loom, yet it should be assumed that it had not been introduced on a wide scale. Consequently, it appears that the Romans made use primarily of vertical looms, with the prevalence, from the turn of of the two-beam loom.

POCHODZENIE TKANIN ARCHEOLOGICZNYCH — ANALIZA IZOTOPOWA STRONTU

Recenzja książki: Karin Margarita Frei, Provenance of Pre-Roman Iron Age textiles — methods development and applications, Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2010, 146 s., Appendix 66 s

Tkactwo w relacjach kulturowych Cesarstwa Rzymskiego z Barbaricum (I-III wiek n.e.)

Textiles played underestimated role in the research on cultural relations between Roman Empire and Barbaricum, although they depict certain aspects of the mutual exchange between these two worlds. Textile studies explore ancient technology and changes it underwent, they offer insight into labour organisation, the degree of specialisation, they add to the store of knowledge about trade and other means of exchange. Textile also provide information about social and economic standing of their users, as well as their aesthetic preferences. Basing on textile material sources, historians and archaeologists are able to obtain more information about Barbarian economy, which left no written evidence of its condition. Eventually, archaeological finds of fabrics help to reconstruct ancient trade routes. The thesis that textiles had their significance in cultural relationship between Roman Empire and Barbaricum is supported by the presence of the so-called imports registered on these territories. Although not all textile types can be recognized as certain import, they provide valuable evidence that both Romans and Barbarians produced high-quality fabrics, which were also characterised by the fine quality of the raw material, i.e. wool. The weaving industry of the Roman times appears to be highly developed, while contacts, especially cultural ones, between Romans and Barbarians prove relatively complex when approached from the perspective of the textile industry