Papers by Arianna Winslow
Near East Archaeological Society Bulletin, 2018
A limited number of loom weights and spindle whorls have come to light in excavations in Israel a... more A limited number of loom weights and spindle whorls have come to light in excavations in Israel at sites dating to Iron Age I, including Khirbet el-Maqatir in the central highlands. These discoveries raise the question of what type of looms the Israelites might have used during Iron Age I as they settled into Canaan and established their material culture. Along with archaeological evidence, this article surveys loom styles from ancient Egypt, Greece, Canaan, Philistia, Iron Age II Israel, and even present-day Middle Eastern bedouin, for hints about a possible loom style in Iron Age I Israel. The article argues that Iron Age I Israelite looms were likely vertical and warp-weighted and probably very simple, given the rudimentary material culture of Iron Age I Israel. The article also includes a description and pictures of coauthor Winslow’s efforts to recreate and use such a simple loom using materials as authentic as possible, including spinning and dyeing the thread as well as weaving a simple pattern.
Uploads
Papers by Arianna Winslow