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Accepted Paper:

The Hallstatt-Textiles: between function and design  
Karina Grömer (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) Helga Rösel-Mautendorfer (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien)

Paper short abstract:

The Salzberg in Hallstatt is famous for the organic finds like textiles, wooden and leather objects. So it is possible to look at the development in textile production and craft over the time-span of 1500-500 BC. The Hallstatt -Textiles show a variety of surfaces depending on different function on one hand and elements of decoration like colour, checks and stripes on the other. The kinds of creations show a different approach of prehistoric craftspeople to textile resources that can enable us to gain an insight into their creative way of thinking.

Paper long abstract:

The prehistoric mines and graveyard of Hallstatt show many aspects of prehistoric life from the Middle Bronze Age and Iron Age. Large-scale salt-mining starts in the Middle Bronze Age about 1500 BC, and is marked by an emerging division of labour and clear social hierarchy and continues during the Iron Age. The Salzberg in Hallstatt is famous for the organic finds like textiles, wooden and leather objects. So it is possible to look at the development in textile production and craft over the time-span of 1500-500 BC.

The Hallstatt -Textiles show a variety of different structure types like different weaving patterns, density of textiles, sorts of thickness with two and three dimensional surface structures. So there is a variety of different surfaces depending on different function like clothing, woollen bags or makeshift binding material on the one hand and elements of decoration like colour, checks and stripes on the other.

The Middle Bronze Age was very innovative in terms of designs and developments in textile craft. Weaving techniques like twill weaving, tablet weaving, patterning and sewing techniques are innovations of this period, and flourished during the Hallstatt Period. Some methods of operation (techniques, how textiles are made and manipulated: weaving, sewing, mending) are very different to the today. They show a different approach of prehistoric craftspeople to textile resources that can enable us to gain an insight into their creative way of thinking.

Panel S27
Making the Bronze Age: craft and craftspeople 2500-800BC
  Session 1