The use of metal threads and decorations in Byzantine-Greek Orthodox ecclesiastical textiles

Abstract

Archaeotechnology Research SummaryGold threads, like silk, are luxury materials engaged in the manufacture of the fi nest and most expensive fabrics. While the use of metal threads in European and Near-Eastern fabrics has been the subject of detailed analytical investigation, few studies have focused on the nature of Byzantine-Greek metal threads. The aim of this research is to identify the morphological and technological characteristics of the metal threads used for the decoration of Greek Orthodox ecclesiastical textiles between the 13th and the 19th centuries.

Ion beam analysis of golden threads from Romanian medieval textiles

“…According to written sources [5,18,19], the cut strips are early times threads dated from the 13th century onwards, uneven in size and quality and of variable thickness, obtained by cutting a gilt metal sheet. The flattened strips, dated from the 14th century Fig.…”

Non-invasive study of natural dyes on historical textiles from the collection of Michelangelo Guggenheim

“…4a refers to sample C1T6 and displays a thick weft (probably linen) and two fine silk warps -a gold yellow and a red one -forming the velvet and a lot of metallic threads, lamellae in particular, clearly distinguishable. Metal threads, their metals content and the different techniques employed to produce thin metallic lamellae, pliable enough for spinning round a silk fibers core, were already studied and described in literature [55,56]: Theophilus in the XII century [57] and Biringuccio in 1540 [58] explained that metal threads consisted in a wire rolled to a lamella and gilded on both sides; notwithstanding this in the XVI century ancient techniques such as the gilding of lamellae on only one side were still used. Fig.…”

“…4b is referred to C3T10a sample, allows noticing the riant gilded metal treads, which is wound around a red silk yarn core. The metal dark color can be easily attributed to ongoing alteration, probably oxidative, phenomena: as known for every material, environmental conditions, both indoors and outdoors, have long been known to affect them [56].…”

Identification of materials in post-Byzantine textiles from Mount Athos

“…Metal threads, used in ecclesiastical textiles of the Greek cultural heritage, have not been studied in detail using physicochemical instrumentation (Karatzani, 2008;Karatzani and Rehren, 2006). For this reason, a preliminary investigation was carried out on the metal threads which were found in seven samples, extracted from the works of the Xeropotamou monastery.…”

“…Two samples were manufactured using only silver (Ag). Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), which have been commonly used in metal threads of textiles (Karatzani, 2008;Karatzani and Rehren, 2006), were not detected.…”