2nd Experimental Archaeology Workshop in Warsaw: Spinning and Weaving

We would like to invite you to take part in the 

"Aegean Bronze Age Textile Production Techniques

Spinning and Weaving

2nd Experimental Archaeology Workshop in Warsaw"

which will be held at the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland

between June 15 and 19, 2015!

A short report of the 1st Experimental Archaeology Workshop in Warsaw can be seen HERE.

Workshop's 2nd edition program can be seen HERE (PDF version).

MORE INFORMATION:

The organizers:

The Workshop will be organized and conducted by experienced archaeologists and researchers:

- Dr Agata Ulanowska – a senior lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, archaeologist of the Aegean Bonze Age, experienced teacher in weaving techniques and experimenter, organizer of the 1st Experimental Archaeology Workshop in Warsaw in 2014.

- Anna Grossman, MA – a head of the Research Department of the Biskupin Archaeological Museum, archaeologist, experienced teacher and technician in experimental spinning and weaving, organizer of textile workshops in the Biskupin Archaeological Museum and elsewhere.


Place of venue:

The Workshop will be held at the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, where a small textile atelier was set up in order to undertake experimental archaeology tests in weaving. In the tests conducted regularly since 2011, mostly of exploratory character, experimental archaeology is applied as a teaching tool.
For the use of participants there are several spindles with spindle whorls (copies of the BA Aegean artefacts), band looms, warp-weighted looms of Scandinavian type, as well as several sets of loom
weights, which are the copies of Aegean Bronze Age artefacts reconstructed by students.


Aims of the Workshop:

The main aim of the Workshop “AEGEAN BRONZE AGE TEXTILE PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES – SPINNING AND WEAVING” is to teach and practise the basic “body knowledge” of spinning and weaving. During 5 days the participants will be practically introduced into spinning and weaving techniques, including weaving on the warp-weighted looms (tabby and twill) and band looms (rigid heddles and tablets).


Program:

Day 1, 15.06.2015 – FIBRES AND SPINNNG
Introduction: Fibres used in the Bronze Age Aegean. Spindle-spinning technique. Parameters and functionality of spindle whorls.
Activities: Preparing wool. Spinning wool and flax (tow).

Day 2, 16.06.2015 – INTRODUCTION TO WEAVING. RIGID HEDDLEIntroduction: Mechanics of weaving. Band looms and starting borders. The possible knowledge of the loom with a rigid heddle in the BA Aegean. Documentation of band weaving process.
Activities: Setting up and weaving bands and starting borders on a loom with a rigid heddle. 

Finishing.Day 3, 17.06.2015 – WARP-WEIGHTED LOOM
Introduction: Warp-weighted looms in the BA Aegean. Parameters and functionality of loom weights. Documentation of weaving process, documentation of woven textiles.
Activities: Setting up the loom and weaving on the warp-weighted loom. Tabby weave. Finishing.

Day 4, 18.06.2015 – TABLET WEAVING
Introduction: Tablets in the Prehistory. The possible knowledge of weaving tablets in the BA Aegean. Documentation of band weaving process.
Activities: Weaving on tablets. Finishing.

Day 5, 19.06.2015 – TWILL WEAVES
Introduction: Twill weaves in the Prehistory. Twill in the BA Aegean?
Activities: Weaving twills on weaving frames and warp-weighted looms.


Excursion:

There is a possibility of an excursion to the Biskupin Archaeological Museum (June 20th
- June 21st 2015), one of the largest and oldest archaeological park in Europe. It is worth to know that the first experimental archaeology tests in Biskupin were undertaken already in the 50-ties of the last century, during so called “archaeological camps” for students of archaeology in Poland. Nowadays there is an attempt to reconstruct there various everyday activities of people in the prehistory: from animal breeding, house building to ancient production techniques.
The excursion is extra paid. The price (including transport, entrance fees and 1 night accommodation) is approx. 100-150 Euro (depending on number of participants). There is no pre-payment for the excursion.


Practical information:

Deadline for applications:
Participants are kindly requested to apply by mail by February 28th 2015, to Agata Ulanowska:
agatula@uw.edu.pl

Fee:
The price (including costs of all materials) is 295 Euro.
There is a limit of 10 participants only.
The accepted participants should done their payments between March, 23rd and April, 31st, 2015.

Payment details:
Please pay at: Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw bank account
Bank: Bank Millenium S.A.
Account Number with SWIFT: PL 95 1160 2202 0000 0000 6084 9522
(BIC) SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Please write your name and “Experimental Archaeology Workshop in Warsaw” on the payment
form.

You can also visit the Department's of Aegean Archaeology, Insitute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland, Facebook page HERE!