Tunic wool

[Anonymous]

>At Vindolanda, 62% of the wool found was diamond twill- and of these "two thirds ...were medium weight with a count of about 14 closer-set threads and 12 weft-threads per cm". At least 1/5th had been dyed, and 5 of diamond twills were red.<br>
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>Re the wool description- does anyone know what this means?<br>
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Ave Paulus!<br>
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Those numbers, 14 wrap and 12 weft refer to the number of threads per cm. In the oreintation of the grain of the fabric, the warp threads run the length of the piece of cloth and the weft threads run from selvedge to selvedge. In diamond twill the cloth has an all-over diamond shaped pattern woven into it, like the chevron shapes of a herringbone twill but diamonds instead.<br>
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I believe that thread count would yield a cloth that has a medium sized weave, not excessively fine, but not very coarse either.<br>
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I have a friend who's an early textiles wonk. If you'd like me to have her take a stab at the description I'd be glad to.<br>
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I hope this is a help,<br>
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Gaius Septimus Lucianus<br>
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