Textile actovoty and cultural identity in Sicily between the late Bronze Age and Archaic Period.

"Clothing was an essential part of material culture in ancient societies both as a form of body protection and as house equipment. Besides a practical function, textiles played a crucial role in communicating various aspects of social and personal identity. Based largely on the analysis of textile tools, this book is intended to be the first systematic attempt at reconstructing textile culture in ancient Sicily. Textile implements represent the most abundant category of evidence for textile activity in Sicily and in this book they are used as a means to explore the social dynamics within cultural interactions in the final Bronze-Iron Age and Archaic Sicily. The book begins with an overview of the cultural complexity of communities in Sicily and the Aeolian islands, focusing on two crucial periods of Sicilian history, which are characterised by intense movements of peoples from the Italian peninsula and the establishment of Greek and Phoenician settlements. Through the investigation of textile tools, the book discusses several key aspects, including technological features of textile technology and production, knowledge transfer, networks of weavers, as well as the social significance of textile activity. By employing an interdisciplinary perspective, this book is important not only for textile specialists but also for scholars and students dealing with culturally hybrid frameworks of ancient Sicily and provides a springboard for future studies on textile culture and cultural interactions in the ancient world"-- Provided by publisher "Clothing was an essential part of material culture in ancient societies both as a form of body protection and as house equipment. Besides a practical function, textiles played a crucial role in communicating various aspects of social and personal identity. Based largely on the analysis of textile tools, this book is intended to be the first systematic attempt at reconstructing textile culture in ancient Sicily. Textile implements represent the most abundant category of evidence for textile activity in Sicily and in this book they are used as a means to explore the social dynamics within cultural interactions in the final Bronze-Iron Age and Archaic Sicily. The book begins with an overview of the cultural complexity of communities in Sicily and the Aeolian islands, focusing on two crucial periods of Sicilian history, which are characterised by intense movements of peoples from the Italian peninsula and the establishment of Greek and Phoenician settlements. Through the investigation of textile tools, the book discusses several key aspects, including technological features of textile technology and production, knowledge transfer, networks of weavers, as well as the social significance of textile activity. By employing an interdisciplinary perspective, this book is important not only for textile specialists but also for scholars and students dealing with culturally hybrid frameworks of ancient Sicily and provides a springboard for future studies on textile culture and cultural interactions in the ancient world"-- Contracoberta Clothing was an essential part of material culture in ancient societies both as a form of body protection and as house equipment. Besides a practical function, textiles played a crucial role in communicating various aspects of social and personal identity.0Based largely on the analysis of textile tools, this book is intended to be the first systematic attempt at reconstructing textile culture in ancient Sicily. Textile implements represent the most abundant category of evidence for textile activity in Sicily and in this book they are used as a means to explore the social dynamics within cultural interactions in the final Bronze-Iron Age and Archaic Sicily.0The book begins with an overview of the cultural complexity of communities in Sicily and the Aeolian islands, focusing on two crucial periods of Sicilian history, which are characterised by intense movements of peoples from the Italian peninsula and the establishment of Greek and Phoenician settlements. Through the investigation of textile tools, the book discusses several key aspects, including technological features of textile technology and production, knowledge transfer, networks of weavers, as well as the social significance of textile activity.0By employing an interdisciplinary perspective, this book is important not only for textile specialists but also for scholars and students dealing with culturally hybrid frameworks of ancient Sicily and provides a springboard for future studies on textile culture and cultural interactions in the ancient world Cover Book Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements List of illustrations List of maps List of tables Abbreviations Introductory framework Chapter 1 Geographical, chronological and cultural framework Chapter 2 Textile activity in Sicily: sources and evidence Chapter 3 Textile tools in domestic and workshop contexts Chapter 4 Textile tools in votive and sacred contexts Chapter 5 Technology and production Chapter 6 Tracing textile culture in Sicily Annex A Analysis of textile tools in Sicily: the case studies Annex B Analysis of textile tools from the Late-Final Bronze Age settlements at Lipari Annex C Analysis of loom weights from the so-called Bothros of Aeolus at Lipari Annex D Analysis of textile tools from Metapiccola (Lentini) Annex E Analysis of textile tools from the FBA-IA Cittadella hill (Morgantina) Annex F Analysis of textile tools from the Archaic Cittadella hill (Morgantina) Annex G Analysis of textile tools from the FBA-IA settlement of Sabucina Annex H Analysis of textile tools from the Archaic settlement of Sabucina Annex I Analysis of textile tools from Himera Annex J Analysis of textile tools from Monte Maranfusa Annex K Analysis of textile tools from Monte Polizo Afterword Bibliography Explores the role, significance and technological development of textile manufacture in 1st millennium BC Sicily.