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Underwater excavation of the site of La Marmotta in Lake Bracciano.  Source: Museo delle Civiltà-Mario Mineo/Antiquity Publications Ltd

Early Neolithic Settlement Found Underneath the Waters of Lake Bracciano

La Marmotta, an ancient lakeshore settlement submerged in Lake Bracciano near Rome, Italy, has captivated underwater archaeologists since its discovery in 1989. Now, archaeologists have located some...
The oldest piece of tartan ever found in Scotland was created in the 16th century. Source: Alan Richardson / V&A Dundee

Peat Bog Yields Oldest Known Scottish Tartan Fabric

A thin but intact square of old fabric removed from a Highland peat bog four decades ago is likely the oldest tartan ever found in Scotland, a new battery of tests has revealed. It is estimated that...
Japanese kimono. Source: Take7 / Adobe Stock.

Why 5 of The World's Priciest Fabrics Are So Expensive (Video)

Fabrics and textiles have always been an integral part of human culture, with some even considered as a symbol of luxury and status. Among the priciest fabrics in the world is muga silk, which is...
Peruvian mummy bundles, representational. Source: Bayamin / Adobe Stock.

Burial Bundles with Painted Bodies in Fabric Found in Peru Pyramid

Archaeologists in Peru have uncovered a monumental temple site where they discovered unique human burials wrapped in fabrics printed with bizarre zoomorphic designs. These bundles contain the remains...
Recently discovered textiles in the Aravah point to Silk Road trade in ancient Israel.	Source: Israel Antiquities Authority: Olga Nganbitsky Nofer Shamir, Roy Galili.

Precious Ancient Fabrics from the ‘Israeli Silk Road’ Found in a Trash Heap

Archaeologists have uncovered rare, printed fabrics dating back around 1,300 years. While the fabrics had originated in the East, they were found in an Israeli dump! It is the first evidence of a...
The so-called world’s oldest trousers discovered in China’s Tarim Basin used different textile techniques for different parts of the trouser fabric. Source: M. Wagner / Archaeological Research in Asia

World’s Oldest Trousers Used Methods Still Employed by Modern Fashion

Back in 2014, a pair of pants were discovered in the Tarim Basin in China. Believed to be the oldest pair of trousers in the world, they were made between 3,000 and 3,300 years ago. Dating back to...
An artist’s imaginary depiction of a pharaoh burning herbs (possibly cannabis or blue lotus) in a ritual.

A Versatile Plant: What Were the Many Uses of Cannabis in Ancient Egypt?

Cannabis is widely considered to be one of the most widespread options when it comes to medicinal herbs. However, in ancient times the plant’s popularity was far greater, and its use much more common...
Could Dhaka Muslin be coming back?

Scandalous Fashion: The Naked Appeal of Dhaka Muslin

Dhaka Muslin is a precious fabric that gained popularity around 200 years ago, but its roots go back much further. In the late 18 th century, Dhaka muslin became a new fashion and gained both...
A Scandinavian woman working on a embroidery pattern modern times, which must have been quite similar to Viking embroidery in the Viking Age.

Rare Viking Embroidery Found in 1000-Year-Old Grave in Norway

A piece of textile fabric from a grave, dated to the Viking Age, has been found in southern Norway, dated to 850-950 AD. The grave of a woman was uncovered at Hestnes in southern Trøndelag county,...
The Shroud of Turin: modern, digitally processed image of the face on the cloth [left] and the full body image as seen on the shroud [right].

The Shroud of Turin: Jesus' Bloodstained Burial Cloth or a Fascinating Forgery?

The Shroud of Turin is believed by many to be the bloodstained burial cloth Jesus of Nazareth was wrapped in after his crucifixion. But skeptics say it is a forgery, or at best only a religious...
Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures

Byssus, Secrets of a Shining Sea Silk Loved by Ancient Cultures

Byssus is an extremely fine, rare, and valuable fabric of animal origin. It is a sort of natural silk with golden and sparkling reflections that is obtained from the filaments secreted by a large...
A micrograph of the spliced textile from Over barrow, Cambridgeshire. Credit: M. Gleba, S. Harris, with permission of Cambridge Archaeological Unit

Unraveling the Secrets of Bronze Age Thread: Textile Reveals Highly Advanced and Complex Process Used 3,800 Years Ago

A new study published this week in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences has identified that the earliest plant fibre technology for making thread in Early Bronze Age Britain and...
3-dimensional model of the Shroud of Turin imprint

Investigators use a Volunteer and Real Blood in Forensic Testing of the Shroud of Turin

It is reported in several news outlets that another test has been conducted on the controversial Shroud of Turn which indicates that it is most likely a forgery. This shroud is believed by many to be...
The Shroud of Turin: modern, digitally processed image of the face on the cloth

Blood on the Shroud: An Interview with the Blood Investigator of the Shroud of Turin Research Project

In 1978 a large team of American scientists under the auspices of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) spent over two years prior to embarking for Turin, planning a large number of specific...
A painting depicting women inspecting silk, early 12th century, ink and color on silk, by Emperor Huizong of Song.

The Legend of Leizu and the Origins of Luxurious Chinese Silk

Leizu (嫘祖), known also as Lady Hsi Ling Shih (西陵氏) is a legendary figure in Chinese history credited with the discovery of silk and the invention of the silk loom. Silk is undoubtedly one of the most...
The man’s gown found in the Ming Dynasty tomb

Archaeologists unearth spectacular textiles in Ming Dynasty Tomb

Exactly how did Chinese people dress 500 years ago? What were their aspirations for the afterlife? Apart from artistic depictions and written descriptions, it is usually hard to tell exactly how...
Hand-woven Mayan textiles from Guatemala

Weaving the World of Ancient Mayan Women

Weaving colorful cotton fabric was an art form among high ranking ancient Mayan women. The Mayas cultivated cotton and used natural dyes from plant, animal and mineral sources. They used spinning...
Çatalhöyük in Turkey

First hemp-weaved fabric in the World found wrapped around baby in 9,000-year-old house

Latest excavation work in the ancient city of Çatalhöyük in Turkey has revealed the world’s first hemp-weaved fabric, which was found wrapped around a baby skeleton in the ground of a burned house...