Textiles and Dress

Birka textiles

The Birka textiles are archaeological textiles found during the excavations of Birka, Sweden conducted between 1871 and 1895 by Hjalmar Stolpe. Around 1100 graves were excavated and among the finds were silver brocade tabletwoven bands, embroideries fashion in gold and silver thread and luxury silk textiles, all dating to the 10th century. The embroidery, mostly worked in stem stitch, includes wool floss on wool fabric, silk floss on silk fabric, and gold thread on a decayed ground material. There are examples of appliqué and edging techniques used to decorate and strengthen garments. Birka has been called the "Silk Road of the North" from speculation whether the textiles represented Near or Far Eastern origins.

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See also

• ▸Culture of Indonesia
• ▸Aphelion (software)
• ▸Bonmarché

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Text from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.