Researchers gather to explore sea textiles through millennia
“People have been seafaring since early prehistory, but very little is known so far as to which textiles, fibres and material they were using on board their vessels. We wish the conference will represent a milestone as to the development of textile research and the ocean”, says archaeologist Serena Sabatini, who is now organizing a conference on 'Maritime’ textiles.
Next week, researchers interested in textiles used at sea will gather. The conference "Sailing Textiles" will be held at Humanisten at the University of Gothenburg and scholars from all over Europe will attend.
The purpose of this interdisciplinary conference is to bring together researchers in different fields. Archaeologists, historians, museum experts and textile specialists will attend the conference, all working with the production and use of sails, maritime textiles, rigging and ropes from a variety of perspectives.
“We hope that the conference participants will have fruitful discussions that can help formulate new strategies and approaches for future studies of 'maritime textiles'," says Serena Sabatini, Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Department of Historical Studies.
Looking for sail making in the Bronze Age
During the conference, several different topics will be tackled . On the first day attention is set on “Sailmaking” throughout time - from the Bronze Age to 19th century.
The second day of the conference the presentations will focus on scientific interdisciplinary investigations and on rope making.
The conference will end with a presentation by Professor Eva Andersson Strand on the theme "Dressed for the sea in Late Iron Age and Viking Age Scandinavia".
Serena Sabatini explains why the conference is being held at the University of Gothenburg;
“Located by the West Coast of Sweden, the University of Gothenburg is a world-known center for research and education about the ocean; it felt a natural choice to host here at Gothenburg an international Euroweb (see below) meeting where the role of textiles in seafaring would be explored in different ways
Milestone for research on textiles
Organized at the Department of Historical Studies, the conference is an initiative of COST Action CA 19131 Europe through Textiles (Euroweb), a network of integrated and interdisciplinary humanities that aims to formulate a new vision of European history based on textiles.
"We hope that the conference will be a milestone in the development of textile research and the sea," says Serena Sabatini, who will present material related to the research project "The missing link". ” The missing link”."
More about the conference and the full program can be found on the University of Gothenburg website: Sailing Textiles - from Prehistory to Early History
Text: Cecilia Sjöberg
