Samite

Surviving silk textiles attributed to the Mediterranean and Near East c. AD 600-1300 are significant in both historic and technical terms. This paper presents some results from my dissertation research pertaining to yarn characteristics in 87 weft-faced compound weave figured silks found in ten museum collections. Objective measurement of diameter and inserted twist is aided by use of computer vision software tools. Yarn component analysis provides information about workshop production methods and suggests transmission of standard conventions throughout the Mediterranean and Near East c. AD 600-1300.

Structural analysis of textiles using image processing has been explored by many researchers. Topics have ranged from quality control for modern textiles to investigation of historical weaving processes. Our research concerns analysis of ancient weft-faced compound weave figured silks dated between AD 600-1200. The complex drawlooms used to weave these silks included a pattern harness to memorize pattern selection sequences. The capability to store work for later use is important in both historical and technical terms. Specifically we are interested in devising nondestructive characterization methods to measure attributes including binding point distance and yarn helix angle. We describe some of the challenges involved in selecting computer vision algorithms appropriate for automated measurement processes.

Surviving Byzantine silk textiles produced between the eighth and eleventh centuries are among the highest achievements in weaving history. In middle Byzantium, silk was an imperial prerogative important in ceremonial, diplomatic and economic spheres. Imperial textiles were woven in a state silk workshop under the control of the palatine fiscal administration. The state’s interest in maintaining the value of silk was exercised by controlling private production. To link historical scholarship with textiles studies, the focus of this work is the middle Byzantine imperial silk workshop. The goal is to bring textile remains together with the circumstances of use, incorporating all available primary evidence.

To place the imperial silk workshop into the appropriate historical context, the development of silk is traced through the early and middle periods. The official roles of silk are identified to understand the purpose of imperial textiles. Because a study of the imperial silk workshop has not been published, relevant information is assembled from diverse sources. Workshop characteristics include: geographic location, administrative framework, worker identity and types of goods produced. Four inscribed silks are assessed from a technical point of view to define a common set of characteristics comprising a “workshop signature.” Weave structure, pattern convention and drawloom technology provide the analytical basis for this study. When consistently defined, these characteristics can be used to assign textile remains to production centers, complementary to information drawn from other fields.