Rare evidence of 5,000-year-old fabric discovered in Orkney

BBC ^ | 2 June 2020 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Evidence of woven textile from 5,000 years ago has been found for only the second time in Scotland.

The piece of Neolithic fabric has not survived, but archaeologists did find the impression it left on the wet clay of a pot millennia ago.

The discovery was made by archaeologists examining markings on pottery from Ness of Brodgar in Orkney.

Evidence of Neolithic woven textile in Scotland was first found at Flint Howe, near Stranraer, in 1966.

An impression of the fabric had also been spotted on a piece of clay...

Organic material from prehistory only survives under certain conditions, and any tools used to make the Orkney fabric have not been found.

Ness of Brodgar is the location of a well-preserved and sophisticated complex of stone buildings.

The site was built and occupied by people more than 5,000 years ago.

Archaeological excavations began at Ness of Brodgar more than 15 years ago and the site covers an area of about six acres (2.5 ha).

[SunkenCiv]

Ness of Brodgar is a large Neolithic site in Orkney. © Dr Scott Pike

[SunkenCiv]

[CharleysPride]

Those Orkney settlements have a bounty of fascinating heritage about our history.

Thanks as always!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Cross-Ping to, ‘Monthly Fiber Arts’ thread. Thanks! :)

[MayflowerMadam]

“fabric has not survived, but archaeologists did find the impression it”

Darn. I could’ve used it in my stash maybe.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[PLMerite]

I thought at first they’d found a pair of jeans still standing in a corner.

[Bob Ireland]

***Rare evidence of 5,000-year-old fabric discovered in Orkney***

I think some of my T-shirts are made of fabric about that old...?