The nature in which the Didymoi textile was excavated allowed for more precise dating to 81-96 AD. This textile was extremely well documented. Rogers et al (2001) presented the following analysis. The fragment included 60.5 cm (24 inches) of warp and 10.4 cm (4 inches) of weft. It included a tapestry woven clavus in purple. The clavus measured 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide and ran the entire length of the warp. The textile analysis stated the warp was an undyed Z-spun wool, sett at 29 to 36 epcm (63 to 79 epi) in the damask ground weave and 34 epcm (75 epi) in the clavus. The weft was also an undyed Z spun wool, at 54 to 70 ppcm (118 to 154 ppi). The clavus weft was also wool and was woven in half basket weave. The analysis of the purple weft concluded the purple was created using a mixture of woad/indigo and dyer’s madder. This yarn is extremely fine and was packed to 108-124 ppcm (237 to 273 ppi). The cloth’s ground weave is a block structure of alternating 3/1 damask, or 3/1 broken twill, and 1/3 damask, with alternating Z and S twill directions. This block pattern forms a checkered pattern within the cloth itself. The ends per centimeter in the ground weave varies greatly, from 6 to 22 epcm. Rogers wrote this cloth provided evidence of the use of a horizontal loom with shed rods, as discussed earlier.
Time Period
1st C BC
Weave Structure
Cultures
Warp
undyed Z spun wool
Weft
undyed Z spun wool
Notes