Decorative Weaving Techniques - International Textiles Archive ...

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dispute among scholars concerning
the interpretation of the two
drawings on the bowl [Barber, 1991,
p.83]. Vandier [1952], for example,
maintained that the two figures
depicted were involved in building
a “palisade” and that the other
object was somehow connected to
a hunting scene. However the
weight of debate seems firmly on the
side of the weaving interpretation,
particularly when the fringe-like
weft located on the left of the fabric
Figure 38
Drawing of weavers at horizontal ground loom.
Derived from mural in tomb at Beni Hasan, Egypt,
c. 1900 BCE.
is considered. This feature appears to be characteristic of Egyptian
horizontal loom weaving only and indeed can be seen on the illustration
presented in Figure 38. In this drawing, the fringe can be detected on the
right of the completed fabric.
The back beam (or warp beam) and the front beam (or cloth beam) were
each attached to two pegs set in the ground. In very early times it was
probable that the weft was interlaced over and under the warp threads by
hand or possibly using a needle [Horne, 1968]. The process reached a
higher level of development when the odd- and even-numbered warp
threads were separated to form a shed and a counter-shed through which
trails of weft thread could pass. As explained previously in Section 2, in
the process of preparing the loom prior to weaving, alternate warp
threads were divided into positions above and below the lease rod thus
creating a mini-shed. Also, the warp threads positioned below the lease
rod were threaded through loops of cord (heavy-duty yarn) attached to
the heddle rod which lay on top of the sheet of warp threads. The warp
sheet was then stretched between two rollers and weaving proceeded as
follows. The warp sword was inserted weft ways into the warp threads,
passing through the slight division created by the lease rod. When turned
through ninety degrees the edge of the warp sword lifted the series of
warp threads (positioned at the top of the lease rod) thus forming a shed.
A trail of weft was inserted into this shed, an action which was probably
facilitated by the use of a thin stick or long needle. The trail of yarn was
then beaten in using the flat warp sword. The warp sword was
withdrawn, lowering the series of warp threads. The next shed, known as