This document covers sources for tablet weaving before 1600. It started life as the bibliography for a paper on the early history of tablet weaving in February 1990. I'm not bored with it yet! Last update was on 29 November 2001. New entries are marked with a triple asterisk, *** .

This document is a work in progress. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained, the author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial private research purposes provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. The definitive version of this document is at http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/t weavebib.html.

Bibliography of Sources for Information on Period Tablet Weaves

© 1993-1997, 1999, 2001 Carolyn Priest-Dorman

Some information (catalogue number 632) on a strap or belt from the funeral achievements of Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince, died 1376), which was tablet woven. Not technical; no photo.

Some nice plates of brocaded ecclesiastical pieces, including the Girdle of Witgarius.

A thirteenth-century Norwegian brocaded band woven in Birkatechnik.

Brocaded, multicolored silk bands, some fringed, dating to the eighth or ninth century.

A very nice b/w plate of a 12th century Sicilian band with brocading and warp floating. Also some stuff that looks like tablet weaving but isn't.

Some silk tubular-woven bands used to fasten a tenth- century man's tunic.

Technical analysis of red silk tubular-woven bands from a tenth-century man's tunic at Toulouse, with several citations to parallels.

Touches briefly on the issue of tablet-woven edging for sprangwork.

This book is the chief source in English for general comparative information and construction techniques. Collingwood's typology is comprehensive and definitive; however, no complete analyses of individual historic pieces are included, and much of his work on medieval material is beginning to be outpaced by current scholarship.

A six-card selvedge border for a pagan period Jutish wool textile, woven in plain weave, alternately threaded.

Some sixth-century Saxon remnants that may have been patterned; some are in two colors. See also page 101, Audrey Henshall's appendix.

Plate and brocading draft for the brocaded band from the abbot's burial in 1504. The technique included two different brocading styles, one with metallic weft and the other using both a metallic and a silk brocading weft that "switched places" to create the pattern.

In addition to the plain weave from the Sutton Hoo find, an appendix documents some contemporary weaves: a two-hole starting border and a four-hole closing border from Broomfield Barrow, and the gold brocaded bands from Taplow Barrow.

The remains of several gold-brocaded bands, dating to the ninth through fourteenth centuries. The ground of at least one (early twelfth century) appears to have been a multicolored 3/1 broken twill.

A gold- and silk-brocaded silk girdle with heraldic motifs, thirteenth century.

The basic source for early gold brocaded tablet weaving, it catalogues over 100 finds of Frankish, Anglo-Saxon, and Jutish pieces from the sixth century onward.

Good black/white photos of several fragmentary finds found in London from this period, including several belts and part of a fabulous tubular-woven silk rosary with amber beads. Selected catalogue of several pieces that includes dating, materials, size, and weave information. Useful information for everyday usage of tablet weaving in the high middle ages.

Mostly plain weave, but includes the original of that drawing of early Saxon wrist clasps that many writers use.

Careful material analysis of some extant tenth-century tablet-woven ecclesiastical vestments commissioned by a Saxon queen; in some cases, not much discussion of the ground weave.

A linen band, apparently two-hole threaded-in tablet weave with eccentric turning, circa seventh century.

A piece of two-hole linen twill tablet-weave, found with a buckle.

The best technical analysis of the Cuthbert bands.

Discusses an early three-color threaded-in lozenge pattern from the "late pagan" period--i.e., before 650 C.E.; Collingwood's draft of the piece is more helpful, though.

A photo of the gold wire brocading weft from a Frankish woman's vitta, clearly showing signs of soumak as well.

Photo and information, including turning diagram, for a wide Mamluk period band in double-faced 3/1 broken twill.

High Middle Ages and Renaissance girdles, most with decorated plaques. Nice black and white plates. She identifies several as tablet-woven, but some of the others also look tablet- woven.

A very rich source for analyses of historic textiles of all sorts; even includes information on pearling and sewing down gems. Includes many interesting weave variations for brocaded bands, as well as several interesting unbrocaded weaves: four-color plain weave in narrow diagonals, woven letters, and 4/1 twill. Further, an Anglo-Saxon soumak band worked over tablet weave, a velvet weave with gold loops, and a silk girdle woven on five-hole tablets, make this a delectably diverse group.

A third-century 3/1 broken twill.

Several pages of plates showing tablet woven finds, mostly brocaded, make this German-language book useful even to those who can't read the language. Many of the designs and diagrams, however, are reprinted in her "The Textile Finds from Birka" (see below).

This is an English-language digest of much of the information in Die Textilfunde aus den Gräbern (see above). It offers some good, basic comparative information on the "Birka style," a unique one.

Presents the rich finds of textiles, mostly thirteenth-century, in the royal burials at Burgos; includes brocaded bands.

Mainly talks about tablet-woven trim placement.

Chapter VII, "Tablet Weaving," has some excellent basic comparative information on early Scandinavian weaves, particularly brocade techniques, but Hald does not discuss any piece in depth.

Three Icelandic bands, two brocaded and one totally wacked! Some turning drafts.

By "pre-medieval" Hansen seems to mean "pre-Christian," as his article discusses finds as late as the tenth-century ones from Birka. He advocates research by attempted reconstruction; concerning brocaded and missed-hole work, he advances a provocative theory about mixed-thread (e.g., linen/wool) weaving that is elaborated in his Tablet Weaving (see below). Also useful as a typology of very early textured and double-cloth weaves.

This book is a distillation of Hansen's experience heading up the Moesgard textile reproduction unit in Denmark, and it explains how to reproduce a great many early period weaves. It corrects some of Collingwood (on Snartemo technique and Birka brocading, for example), which alone makes it incredibly valuable. However, his drafting technique is very idiosyncratic, the translation is sometimes fuzzy, a few mistakes were made in the printing of some drafts, and the book is badly organized. Takes patience to work with, but ultimately very rewarding. Nice color plates of reproductions.

The Geijer and Nockert essays specifically touch on Scandinavian tablet weaving finds, but there's something here to interest anyone from a Copt (early Mediterranean tunic construction) to a Cavalier (tin-mordant red dye).

Tablet woven starting border on a ninth-century wool.

All are silk ribbons: two are double-face double-turn, one is 3/1 broken twill double-cloth, one is brocaded, and one is threaded-in tubular; most are late twelfth or early thirteenth century English or Scottish.

Some notes, earlier than Crowfoot's, on the sixth- century Saxon remnants form Fonaby.

An elaborate plain-weave, fringed hood edging thought to be Viking Age.

A starting border in tablet-weave for a warp-weighted textile, sixth- or seventh-century Saxon.

Brocaded weaves from the fourteenth-century grave of King Robert Bruce and two sixteenth-century bishops' graves.

Eight bands, mostly medieval; includes brocaded pieces, two different textured weaves, and a band with looped silk pile.

The best book available on the subject, with an excellent bibliography. Historically, tablet-woven starting borders were used on many texiles woven on the warp-weighted loom.

Textiles from a proto-Viking Age town (6th to 8th centuries) in Schleswig, North Germany. Lots of tablet-woven starting borders.

Contains three unusual eighth- and ninth-century bands, including a Greek military inscription, a young woman's twill headband in linen and wool with a bird pattern, and a wool headband with simple trefoils. Descriptions do not include in-depth discussion of weave techniques.

Contains a vast catalogue of textile finds, most previously unpublished. Gives interesting statistics on relative occurrences of various types of textiles including tablet weaves, and some information on their frequency and occurrence in the northern cultures. No piece is analyzed in detail, but what is there is useful.

Photo of an 11th to 12th century Finnish band and its reconstructed weave; includes pattern draft. Technique is an interesting variant of "Egyptian diagonals" weave. Also a line drawing of the original of the Finnish "S" design (as seen in Collingwood), with the author's woven copy.

Information on two of the six bands from a Hallstatt period Celtic chieftain's burial, plus a description of the author's methods of warping and graphing. One is a double weave combining sections of 3/1 broken twill with double-face double-turn that is accomplished with some idling of tablets and appears to be the earliest double-face double-turn band in existence. The other involves a double weave that is threaded alternately in groups of two.

Based on analysis of one from Vrangstrup, Knudsen offers an approach to the problem of Roman Iron Age Prachtmantel borders that contradicts that of Karl Schlabow. Good drawing of how the Vrangstrup borders are attached to the cloak.

Tablet-woven borders to some warp-weighted fabrics, with the suggestion that there may have been patterning.

Nice plates of Merovingian bands from the Chelles collection of relics. Includes several pieces of a four-color band with geometric patterning, quite similar in effect to the Snartemo four-color bands; a piece worked with blocky creatures that looks like a double weave; and a two-color band used for a tunic cuff that looks threaded-in.

Photo and brief description of a piece of a Mamluk band (Egypt, 13th to 15th century). See Erikson for more information.

Touches on some pieces from circa 1000, but it's difficult to weave something based on her redrawings that looks like the originals.

Some excellent black and white closeups of a 15th century girdle from the burial of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. The weave includes both velvet pile and gold bouclé.

This is the find that contained the famous early 3/1 broken twill double-cloth trim with the beasties on it; there's more information here than in Collingwood.

Get both volumes: one is text and the other black and white plates. Covers royal and episcopal graves in Speyer Cathedral dating from tenth to early thirteenth centuries, including some Holy Roman emperors and empresses. Details of a large number of brocaded bands, a belt and inscription band in twist-patterning, and some tablet-woven fringes.

Interesting short article on eleventh- and twelfth-century brocades from the Holy Roman Empire, some with Saracen influence. Some photos and a brief discussion of soumaking.

Catalogue entries for the ninth-century cingulum of Witgarius and three inscribed monochrome bands of the ninth to tenth centuries. Some nice plates of same.

Two examples, one tubular and the other double- woven.

Details of many early tablet weaves, including the figured Evebø and Snartemo bands. No pattern drafts, though.

Profiles a four-color patterned tablet-weave from about thirteenth-century Leksand, Sweden, used as edging on a woman's mantle. (The technique combines four- and three-hole weave.)

More in-depth study of the complex thirteenth-century Leksand band, including suggested method for weaving and a complete pattern draft. Good photo of a related band from Iceland.

Geometric narrow bands from Viking Age Gotland,combining two- and four-hole weave.

These are the proceedings from the fourth North Europe Symposium on Archaeological Textiles. Participants included curators from many northwest European textile museums. Papers are in two languages (English and German).

These are the proceedings from the second North Europe Symposium on Archaeological Textiles. Participants included curators from many northwest European textile museums. Papers are in two languages (English and German).

These are the proceedings from the sixth North Europe Symposium on Archaeological Textiles. Participants included curators from many northwest European textile museums. Papers are in two languages (English and German).

These are the proceedings from the fifth North Europe Symposium on Archaeological Textiles. Participants included curators from many northwest European textile museums. Papers are in two languages (English and German).

These are the proceedings from the first North Europe Symposium on Archaeological Textiles. Participants included curators from many northwest European textile museums. Papers are in two languages (English and German).

Some information about garment-related usage of tablet weaving; she herself doessn't weave and doesn't seem to understand it particularly well.

Useful principally for information on how the weaving was used in garments.

More on the 3/1 broken twill "animal frieze" tablet-woven trim from the Migration Age.

Three fourth-century Norwegian bands: one plain weave closing border, a wider plain weave edging sewn to the closing border, and a polychrome band sewn to a selvedge. This last is wide plain weave with warpwise striping and checking.

Article includes small b/w photo of some 14th century bands from the Republic of Georgia. The exact tecchnique is not specified, but it is a double-faced weave. The bands were used as belts and clothing trimmings.

An overview of several different tablet weave structures used in Europe before 1600.

Briefly discusses the use of tubular tablet-woven edging for a pouch. Mentions a brocaded wool band and a band used as an edging.

Brocaded bands, circa tenth to twelfth centuries.

One of the brocaded pieces pictured in this article is thought to be a "sampler," as it has narrow sections representing several different metallic brocading patterns.

Although this is a book about knitting, it includes some nice photos of tablet-woven pieces that were misidentified as knitting many years ago, including an ecclesiastical girdle with interlaced cording and fringe.

Explanations of some pieces of Iron Age tablet weaving: three girdles and the sleeve bands from the Thorsberg tunic.

Catalogue of textiles from Swiss religious treasuries. Contains an analysis of the Maniple of St. Ulrich including thread count; brocaded bands in silk, linen, and wool; and several patterned two- and four-hole bands, some with woven- in fringes.

Not too much on the in-period aspects of tablet weaving, and nothing on specific weave techniques, but some good photos of medieval pieces.

An excellent technical introduction to tablet weaving, with chapters on some period techniques as well as much useful twentieth-century information. Many threaded-in drafts, including the Coptic arrowhead, and a photo of the tablet weaving setup found in the Oseberg ship burial.

In-depth consideration of medieval European brocaded tablet woven bands, including a large number of pattern drafts. Instruction included.

Covers the sixth to sixteenth centuries in Europe. Summary information on materials, size, ground weaves, tie-down points, and selvedge handling. Well- sourced.

*** Start, Laura E. "Textiles," pp. 204-224 in Lagore Crannog: An Irish Royal Residence of the 7th to 10th Centuries A.D., by Hugh Hencken. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. 53, Section C., No. 1 (1951)

Fragments of two different pieces, both unusual. One is narrow with fringes on one side, the other has been called "missed-hole" technique. Since both pieces are now missing from their museum home, neither can be further investigated.

A catalogue of narrow sixteenth- and seventeenth-century trimmings, with good photos of depictions and extant examples. Drawings and drafts of the various pieces included. The techniques involves using two- and four-hole cards simultaneously to make a band combining plain tablet weave with tabby weave.

Dyed horsehair supplementary weft wrapping techniques over idling tablet warps. Estimated production time one millimeter per hour, according to the author.

Two brocaded bands in the relic collection of the Basilica of Our Lady at Tongeren. Catalogue entry by Daniël De Jonghe contains some technical information but no patterns.

A photo of some brocaded tablet-woven edging used on a German ecclesiastical garment; the work is thought to be Sicilian.

This thrice-yearly newsletter by and for tablet weavers sometimes publishes articles about early tablet weaves. See their website for more information.

Detailed analysis with excellent photos of a 15th century Italian silk band incorporating gold looping and velvet weave. Suggested weave method involves 8-hole tablets.

Two interesting double-weave (not double-cloth) straps, one woven on six-holed cards. Period is circa 1300.

Remains of a Viking Age tablet weave executed in two colors of silk and some since-decayed fiber.

An interesting plain weave band sewn to a selvedge, dating to the early Roman empire, found in Mainz. The weave is two-hole; in the body two different colored threads are used per tablet.

Useful information on some very early Saxon mantles edged on all four sides with tablet weaving.

Informative book on Latvian costume and textiles from the 10th through 13th centuries, including schematics for several different types of patterned bands. Unfortunately, structural analysis is not provided. Russian and German summaries.

This page was created on 18 February 1997 and last updated on 29 November 2001.

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