NOW: Toy Viscachas – 46-77-30/7651B

For this week’s Nalbound Object of the Week we have another piece of truly figural work found in the Peruvian nalbound corpus. These are one of my favorites, because viscachas are sooo cute! (Once again, I’ve included a picture of a live viscacha below for those of us less familiar with what exactly one looks like.)

Effigy, viscachas, looped. Object number: 46-77-30/7651B
Courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University. https://peabody.harvard.edu/ Request reproduction rights from https://peabody.harvard.edu/rights-and-reproductions

Object: Viscachas effigy

Description: Worked in yellow and dark brown yarn around a solid core, the figure includes the pointed ears, nose, and long tail of a viscacha. Overall: 7 x 2.1 x 3.2 cm (2 3/4 x 13/16 x 1 1/4 in.)1

Dated to: Early Intermediate period
Nazca2

Find location: Nazca, Peru3

Material: camelid4

Stitch(es) used: (Simple) Looping.5

Object number: 46-77-30/7651B

Current location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61

Pictures:

A Viscacha, posted by the American Museum of Natural History
Photo: andrespuiggros, CC-BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61 ↩︎
  2. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61. Estimated to 200 BCE to 600 CE as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodization_of_pre-Columbian_Peru ↩︎
  3. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61 ↩︎
  4. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61 ↩︎
  5. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100406?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=61 ↩︎

NOW: Mitten with embroidered cuff – D7403b

While I’ve mentioned this Nalbound Object of the Week in an earlier post, link here, I did not include the find data. So this week we take a closer look at the 17th century mitten found in the ramparts of the city of Copenhagen. Like many mittens and socks of this time, it has some tar stains. If you look very closely, there is some two toned embroidery around the cuff edge. One thread of which still retains some reddish coloring (I’ve included a detail photo below).

Mitten found in Mikkel Bryggersgade, D7403b.
Photo credit: Anne Marie Decker

Object: Mitten with an embroidered cuff – D7403b

Description: A mitten for the right hand with some tar stains and two colored embroidery around the cuff worked in opposing whip stitches that create small triangles.1

Dated to: 1500 – 1650 CE2

Find location (Continent, current country, original culture): Mikkel Bryggers Gade in association with Copenhagen’s ramparts.3

Material: Wool4

Stitch(es) used: Hald stated that 3 of the 4 mittens found in the ramparts of Copenhagen were Type IIa (which is UO/UOO) with the 4th too felted to tell and includes photos of two of which this mitten is one. Eskelund Rüssel catalogs this mitten as UOOO/UUUOO F15 which I am not seeing in the mitten. Further examination will be required.

Inventory number: D7403b

Current location: National Museum of Denmark

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://samlinger.natmus.dk/dmr/object/292074

Some sources in which more information can be found:

Eskelund Rüssel, Elizabeth. Nålebinding: En forhistorisk håndarbejdsteknik i kronologisk perspektiv. Arkæologisk Tema 1, Vejleder: Henriette Lyngstrøm, Forhistorisk Arkæologi ved Københavns Universitet, May 24, 2011.

Hald, Margrethe. Ancient Danish Textiles from Bogs And Burials: A Comparative Study of Costume and Iron Age Textiles. Publications of The National Museum of Denmark; Archaeological Historical Series XXI. Translated by Jean Olsen. Copenhagen: Fyens Stiftsbogtrykkeri, Copenhagen, 1980. image p. 303. ISBN 87-480-0312-3.

Does anyone have a copy of this publication?
Vestergård Pedersen 2003. Nålebinding. Center for Historisk Teknologi. Middelaldercenteret Nykøbing F. S. 1 – 16.

Photographs:

Museum information for the display including D7403b. Photo credit: Anne Marie Decker
Museum legend for the display including D7403b. Photo credit: Anne Marie Decker
Closeup of the embroidered cuff of D7403b. Photo credit: Anne Marie Decker

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. Personal viewing while on display, August 27, 2019. ↩︎
  2. Eskelund Rüssel, Elizabeth. Nålebinding: En forhistorisk håndarbejdsteknik i kronologisk perspektiv. Arkæologisk Tema 1, Vejleder: Henriette Lyngstrøm, Forhistorisk Arkæologi ved Københavns Universitet, May 24, 2011. p. 11, Bilag 3 #16. https://vikingerivestfold.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nalebinding_en_forhistorisk_handarbejdst.pdf ↩︎
  3. Eskelund Rüssel, Elizabeth. Nålebinding: En forhistorisk håndarbejdsteknik i kronologisk perspektiv. Arkæologisk Tema 1, Vejleder: Henriette Lyngstrøm, Forhistorisk Arkæologi ved Københavns Universitet, May 24, 2011. Bilag 3 #16. https://vikingerivestfold.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nalebinding_en_forhistorisk_handarbejdst.pdf ↩︎
  4. https://samlinger.natmus.dk/dmr/object/292074 Accessed 1/18/2026. ↩︎
  5. Eskelund Rüssel, Elizabeth. Nålebinding: En forhistorisk håndarbejdsteknik i kronologisk perspektiv. Arkæologisk Tema 1, Vejleder: Henriette Lyngstrøm, Forhistorisk Arkæologi ved Københavns Universitet, May 24, 2011. p. 11, Bilag 3 #16. https://vikingerivestfold.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nalebinding_en_forhistorisk_handarbejdst.pdf cites Vestergård Pedersen 2003. Nålebinding. Center for Historisk Teknologi. Middelaldercenteret Nykøbing F. S. 1 – 16. for information regarding the mitten, but not stitch identification specifically. ↩︎

NOW: Diamond hat with volute tree straps – 46-77-30/9440

There is a whole range of Peruvian hats with these integral ear-flap straps as seen in this week’s Nalbound Object of the Week. And yet, this one is particularly striking with its volute shaped trees. The image is unfortunately not helpful with clarifying what colors are used. The object description says dark brown and tan, but the inventory description says blue and gold. Both would be striking, but is there anyone near the Peabody that can answer?

Cap, looped. Object number: 46-77-30/9440
Courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University. https://peabody.harvard.edu/ Request reproduction rights from https://peabody.harvard.edu/rights-and-reproductions

Object: Cap, looped

Description: A dark brown and tan (or blue and gold) diamond lattice patterned hat with crosses in the diamonds and a volute wavy tree on the ear-flaps that extend from the top of the hat down to long fringes. Overall: 52 x 17.5 x 6.5 cm (20 1/2 x 6 7/8 x 2 9/16 in.)1

Dated to: Early Intermediate Period?2

Find location: Loma?, Peru3

Material: camelid4

Stitch(es) used: Looped.5 Z-crossed Cross-knit Looping (as determined by Anne Marie Decker based on the photograph)

Object number: 46-77-30/9440

Current location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66 ↩︎
  2. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66 Estimated to 200 BCE to 600 CE as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodization_of_pre-Columbian_Peru ↩︎
  3. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66 ↩︎
  4. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66 ↩︎
  5. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81676?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=66 ↩︎

NOW: Loop & Twist net – 75-20-30/8561

The Nalbound Object of the Week this week is a small fragment of vegetal fiber found in Chile. The fragment has two types of Loop & Twist, both Z-crossed.

Net, looped, fragment. Object number: 75-20-30/8561
Courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University. https://peabody.harvard.edu/ Request reproduction rights from https://peabody.harvard.edu/rights-and-reproductions

Object: Net, looped, fragment

Description: A small fragment of loop & twist net with both single and quadruple twist looping. Overall: 12 x 8 cm (4 3/4 x 3 1/8 in.)1

Dated to: none provided

Find location: Pisagua, Chile2

Material: vegetal fiber3

Stitch(es) used: double twist looping. (z-2s).4

Object number: 75-20-30/8561

Current location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81168?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=86

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81168?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=86 ↩︎
  2. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81168?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=86 ↩︎
  3. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81168?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=86 ↩︎
  4. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/81168?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=86 ↩︎

NOW: Viscachas figural effigy – 46-77-30/7651C

I hope everyone’s winter holiday season is going well and that the new year be all you need it to be. For this week’s Nalbound Object of the Week we got a viscacha figure/effigy. I love these because viscachas are sooo cute! (I’ve included a picture of a live viscacha below for those of us less familiar with what exactly one looks like.)

Effigy, viscachas, looped. Object number: 46-77-30/7651C
Courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University. https://peabody.harvard.edu/ Request reproduction rights from https://peabody.harvard.edu/rights-and-reproductions

Object: Viscachas effigy

Description: Worked in yellow and dark brown yarn, the figure includes the pointed ears, nose, and long tail of a viscacha. Overall: 7.5 x 1 x 1.7 cm (2 15/16 x 3/8 x 11/16 in.)1

Dated to: Early Intermediate period
Nazca2

Find location: Nazca, Peru3

Material: camelid4

Stitch(es) used: Looping.5 S-crossed and Z-crossed Simple Looping depending on which part of the viscacha (as determined by Anne Marie Decker based on the photograph)

Object number: 46-77-30/7651C

Current location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62

Pictures:

A vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia) near Rio Grande, in the Atacama desert, Chile.
Photo: Alexandre Buisse (Nattfodd), CC BY-SA 3.0

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62 ↩︎
  2. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62. Estimated to 200 BCE to 600 CE as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodization_of_pre-Columbian_Peru ↩︎
  3. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62 ↩︎
  4. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62 ↩︎
  5. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/100405?ctx=4b5a04a42bb2e1beb986339955f300990aa07639&idx=62 ↩︎

NOW: Child’s sock with orange, blue and yellow stripes – III 15474

For a person that has spent a lot of time examining stockings, this is an excellent time of the year. The Museum der Kulturen Basel has the largest collection of Egyptian nalbinding1 and they just recently put their entire collection online. So this week’s Nalbound Object of the Week is one of my favorite of the children’s socks.

©Museum der Kulturen Basel CC BY 4.0

Object: Child’s sock with orange, blue and yellow stripes – III 15474

Description: The sock is striped with blue, orange, and yellow stripes and a natural (now cream) base that shows mostly in the wedge heel. It has a relatively short, undifferentiated, toe box with a rather large wedge heel. The ankle is damaged and its true height unknown. Length 17 cm2

Dated to: 4th century ?3 CE (This is a very old art historical based dating. There has been no scientific dating of compound Egyptian nalbound socks. More recent excavations are finding compound nalbound socks in 11th century layers. I would dearly love to have a few of these radiocarbon dated as exactly when compound nalbinding began cannot be determined without solid dating.)

Culture: Coptic4

Find location: Egypt5

Material: Wool6

Stitch(es) used: F2 UOO/UUOO,7 Mammen

Inventory number: III 154748

Current location: Museum der Kulturen Basel, Switzerland

Link to museum catalog or other data: The Museum der Kulturen database does not have permalinks. Search for the Inventory number in https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be

Some sources in which more information can be found:

Böttcher, Gudrun. “Koptische Nadelbindungstextilien im Museum der Kulturen Basel” in Experimentelle Archäologie in Europa: Bilanz 2004 Heft 3. edited by Corinna Endlich. Oldenburg: Isensee Verlag, 2004: 211-214. ISBN 3-89995-204-9.

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. That we know of so far because I am certain there are more socks out there in boxes and the backs of drawers that haven’t been opened in a century. ↩︎
  2. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎
  3. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎
  4. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎
  5. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎
  6. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎
  7. Böttcher writes it as Stitch Type: III and Stitch Variant: F(L) 2 UOO/UUOO. Böttcher, Gudrun. “Koptische Nadelbindungstextilien im Museum der Kulturen Basel” in Experimentelle Archäologie in Europa: Bilanz 2004 Heft 3. edited by Corinna Endlich. Oldenburg: Isensee Verlag, 2004: 211-214. ISBN 3-89995-204-9. pg 213. ↩︎
  8. Museum der Kulturen Basel dataset published under the license CC BY 4.0 https://onlinecollection.mkb.ch/#/query/f901c9da-5de6-4bea-819e-39e4464051be ↩︎

NOW: Chevron patterned hat – 46-77-30/10427

This week’s Nalbound Object of the Week is a striking Peruvian hat worked in Cross-knit Looping in a distinctive chevron pattern. While there are quite a few hats found in Peru, both in Simple Looping and in Cross-knit Looping, this is the first I’ve come across with this Chevron patterning.

Cap, looped, circular. Object number: 46-77-30/10427
Courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University. https://peabody.harvard.edu/
Request reproduction rights from https://peabody.harvard.edu/rights-and-reproductions

Object: Chevron patterned hat

Description: A dark brown and tan chevron patterned hat broken into 4 quarters with alternating chevrons. Overall: 16 x 17 cm (6 5/16 x 6 11/16 in.)1

Dated to: Chancay? culture2

Find location: Zapallan, Peru3

Material: camelid4

Stitch(es) used: Z-crossed5 Cross-knit Looping6

Object number: 46-77-30/10427

Current location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72

Please note that sharing to other venues will likely be intermittent. If you wish to receive these each week, please remember to follow the blog.
Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72 ↩︎
  2. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72. Chancey culture would put this hat in the Late Intermediate Period, 1000 CE – 1476 CE, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodization_of_pre-Columbian_Peru ↩︎
  3. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72 ↩︎
  4. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72 ↩︎
  5. As determined from the photograph by Anne Marie Decker ↩︎
  6. https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/90463?ctx=3895f836dffa87d819a31a9db21ff30320b3e15c&idx=72 ↩︎

NOW: Fragment from St. Audoen’s church, Dublin – E497:2428.325

This week I get to share with you the excitement of finding out about a rare find in a church I once visited. Some regions have preserved many finds, but textiles in Ireland are relatively rare and nalbound ones more so. Thus this week’s Nalbound Object of the Week is the second known nalbound artifact from Ireland. The fragments were found in the 12th century occupational debris. Photos have been published this year in Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art by Elizabeth Wincott Heckett if you would like to see them. There’s also a nice diagram in 2006 Archeological Monograph on the excavations.

St Audoen’s Church & Visitor center when we visited on April 27, 2014. Photo credit: Anne Marie Decker

Object: Two main fragments. Usage unknown, but possibly a sock or cap.

Description: The larger fragment is 30 cm long by 8 cm high1 showing the remains of 6 rows. The smaller fragment is 6 cm long by 5 cm high2 with remains of 3+ rows. The thickness of both is c. 2mm.3 Original use as a mitten was ruled out as the length of the larger fragment would exceed the circumference appropriate for a mitten and is more suitable for a sock or a piece of a cap.4 There is no evidence of either intentional or wear fulling.5

Dated to: 12th century6 CE

Find location: Found in the 12th century occupation debris associated with timber structures during excavation of St. Audoen’s church, Cornmarket, Dublin, Ireland.7

Material: A dark brown, naturally colored, coarse, perhaps kemp-like, wool. No dye detected. The yarn has been combed and worsted spun in a medium to loose Z spin then two-plied with an S twist. The yarn is 1.5 mm in diameter.8

Stitch(es) used: uo o/u uoo F1 based on analysis of one of the outermost rows of loops.9 (Korgen)

Inventory number: E497:2428.325

Current location: Still tracking that down. The detailed catalog was lodged with the excavation archive in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Some of the items excavated at St Audoen’s remain there on display in their Visitor’s Centre.

Link to museum catalog or other data: none known

Some sources in which more information can be found:

Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. “Textiles” in the Archaeological Finds chapter of St Audoen’s Church, Cornmarket, Dublin: Archaeology and Architecture by Mary McMahon. Dublin: The Stationary Office, Government of Ireland, 2006. ISBN 0-7557-7315-2

Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art. Edited by Mary Ann Williams. Cork: Cork University Press, 2025. ISBN 9781782055716

1263

Photographs:

There are two photos by Peter Maloney © The Estate of Elizabeth Wincott Heckett included in Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art: Fig. 15.1 on page 228 and Fig. 15.2 on page 231.

There is also an archeological drawing contained the the archeological monograph, St Audoen’s Church, Cornmarket, Dublin: Archaeology and Architecture, by Mary McMahon: Fig. 6.9 on page 74.

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Patrons on Patreon receive early access previews, occasional extra details, and priority requests.

  1. 300 x 80mm. Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. “Textiles” in the Archaeological Finds chapter of St Audoen’s Church, Cornmarket, Dublin: Archaeology and Architecture by Mary McMahon. Dublin: The Stationary Office, Government of Ireland, 2006. ISBN 0-7557-7315-2 page 74 and republished in Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art. Edited by Mary Ann Williams. Cork: Cork University Press, 2025. ISBN 9781782055716. pg. 230 ↩︎
  2. 60 x 50mm. Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. “Textiles” in the Archaeological Finds chapter of St Audoen’s Church, Cornmarket, Dublin: Archaeology and Architecture by Mary McMahon. Dublin: The Stationary Office, Government of Ireland, 2006. ISBN 0-7557-7315-2 page 74 and republished in Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art. Edited by Mary Ann Williams. Cork: Cork University Press, 2025. ISBN 9781782055716. pg. 230 ↩︎
  3. Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. “Textiles” in the Archaeological Finds chapter of St Audoen’s Church, Cornmarket, Dublin: Archaeology and Architecture by Mary McMahon. Dublin: The Stationary Office, Government of Ireland, 2006. ISBN 0-7557-7315-2 page 75 and republished in Wincott Heckett, Elizabeth. Textiles of Ireland: Archaeology, Craft, Art. Edited by Mary Ann Williams. Cork: Cork University Press, 2025. ISBN 9781782055716. pg. 232 ↩︎
  4. Ibid. pg. 75, and republished in Ibid. pg. 233 ↩︎
  5. Ibid. pg. 75, and republished in Ibid. pg. 231 ↩︎
  6. Ibid. pg. 74, and republished in Ibid. pg. 229 ↩︎
  7. Ibid. pg. 74, and republished in Ibid. pg. 229 ↩︎
  8. Ibid. pg. 75, and republished in Ibid. pg. 232 ↩︎
  9. Ibid. pg. 75, and republished in Ibid. pg. 232 ↩︎

NOW: Border fragment with three figures – 1956.405

The figural work found in the decorative borders made by the Nazca people is stunningly beautiful and detailed. This week’s Nalbound Object of the Week is a beautiful sample of their cross-knit looped borders. This fragment has three very distinct figures. The Art Institute of Chicago’s website has very nice closeups of both sides and a very good zoom function if you’d like to see more.

Nazca. Fragment of a Decorative Border, 100 BCE-200 CE. The Art Institute of Chicago®
CC0 Public Domain

Object: Fragment of a Decorative Border 1956.405

Description: A border fragment with three figures. The figures are about 2.5 inches tall. The piece is 11.4 × 6.7 cm (4 1/2 × 2 5/8 in.)1

Dated to: 100 BCE-200 CE2

Culture: Nazca3

Find location: Possibly Coyungo, Nasca Valley, south coast, Peru4

Material: Cotton (plain woven ground), Camelid wool5

Stitch(es) used: The band’s ground support is plain weave and the extension supports are simple looping. The ground is encased in the decorative cross-knit looping6

Inventory number: 1956.405

Current location: The Art Institute of Chicago®

Link to museum catalog or other data: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border

Some sources in which more information can be found:

Sawyer, Alan R. Early Nasca Needlework. London: Laurence King Publishing, 1997. pg. 149, fig. 119 and 120 (ill.).

Melo, Alipio, María José Murillo, and Danitza Willka. “The Heartbeat of Andean Weaving,” in On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival, eds. Isaac Facio, Nneka Kai, L Vinebaum, and Anne Wilson, exh. cat. Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 2025. pg. 164, fig. 3 (ill.).

Photographs (if permissions allow):

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  1. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎
  2. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎
  3. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎
  4. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎
  5. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎
  6. The Art Institute of Chicago® https://www.artic.edu/artworks/3000/fragment-of-a-decorative-border ↩︎

Z-twist yarns

The recent examination highlights the challenge of sourcing Z-twist yarns, essential for reconstructing specific textile artifacts. Manufacturers often lack detailed spin and ply information. The yarn’s twist direction affects fabric texture and handling, with Z-twist enabling tighter, smoother fabrics for many nalbinding stitches, while S-twist suits other stitches stitches and contemporary knitting techniques.

So my most recent examinations brought up an interesting issue. It can be hard to find Z-twist yarns; at all. Not just the specific weight, number of plies, and spinning method (worsted spun instead of woollen1) one might look for when trying to reconstruct an artifact, but just even any Z-twist yarns. When searching online you find that manufacturers often are not providing information on their spin and ply directions. Additionally, even if the photograph is close enough to look, you can’t trust the image hasn’t been reversed because it looks better for marketing purposes.

By Yarn_twist.png: PKMderivative work: Dfred (talk) – Yarn_twist.png, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6991339

So why is this important? The final twist direction of a yarn has an impact on how it lays in the final textile. Even the act of winding on and off a ball can affect the yarn twist and have an effect on the final resulting fabric.2 This is markedly more noticeable the more a technique spirals when being worked. Looped textiles inherently spiral the yarn either as they wrap the yarn around the needle or hook, or as the yarn is pulled through the stitches. That wrapping/spiraling can either tighten the twist or loosen it. In the case of single ply, it can loosen it enough the yarn falls apart.

Not all nalbound artifacts are worked in Z-twist yarns, but a significant number are. And combined with certain stitches, Z-twist can help make a tighter, smoother fabric which can be easier to work as the yarn is less likely to split. Other stitches (those ending the stitch on the reverse of the working thread instead of on the technical front or vice versa for left handed) spiral in the other direction and are better suited to S-twist yarns. This is also why S-twist yarns are generally more suited to the wrap direction found in how knitting is currently taught in the Western world and Z-twist yarns are generally more suited to the wraps of modern crochet.

I am clearly not the only person that has noticed this. There are a variety of useful articles on the effect of twist on a fabric available.3 In fact, I have recently run across a website dedicated to yarn substitutions called YarnSub that includes twist direction in its database (although it has some issues in its comparisons matching number of plies to z-ply instead of keeping the twist separate from the number of plies and also includes cabled yarns where the final twist is Z). Here is the search for Z-twist yarns: https://yarnsub.com/search?q=z+plied

I used to get some nice naturally dyed Z-spun yarn from Juuliorg out of Estonia. They are currently on an extended vacation, but the mill is still open.

I have also used some Z-spun yarn from Ullcentrum: https://www.ullcentrum.com/en/yarns-tools/wool-yarn/z-plied-2-ply/

I’ve also run across several other suppliers. Unfortunately, current conditions are restricting postal service here to the US. So while I may not be able to get any soon, perhaps you may find these useful.

Filter on Z-tvinnat: https://bavensspinnhus.se/produkter

Zgarn

So have you found a favorite Z-twist yarn? I would love to hear about it.

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Footnotes:

  1. The difference between worsted spun and woolen spun yarns is in the preparation and drafting of the fiber. Worsted spun yarns the fibers are combed and drafted so that the fibers all align. This makes for a smooth hard-wearing, but not lofty yarn. For woolen spun yarn, the fibers are carded and drafting is from a rolag or fold so that the fibers are intentionally jumbled. This makes for a lofty yarn that holds a lot of air, but it tends to not be as strong and more likely to pill and full/shrink. ↩︎
  2. Here is an interesting blog post demonstrating the effect: https://peggyosterkamp.com/2021/08/use-your-s-z-identifier-tool-to-add-or-subtract-twist-to-yarns/ Accessed 11/30/2025 ↩︎
  3. https://wildwoollys.com/blogs/articles/what-is-z-twist-yarn-and-should-you-care Accessed 11/26/2025
    https://spinoffmagazine.com/twist-direction-s-vs-z-twist/ Accessed 11/26/2025
    https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/twist-and-shout-why-twist-direction-matters-in-your-making/ Accessed 11/26/2025
    And even how twist direction was used to create patterns in woven textiles: https://brankaontextiles.com/z-s-directions-spinning-textile-how-ancient-women-once-wove-monochrome-patterns-with-light-and-shadows-in-the-beholders-eye/ Accessed 11/26/2025 ↩︎