- Margarita Gleba –
Figure 42.8 Ceramic spools, Poggio Civitate di Murlo, seventh-sixth century bce.
Courtesy of Anthony Tuck.Although ancient Italy is commonly regarded as the area of the “woven to shape” or
“off-the-loom” textiles,^24 archaeological fi nds indicate that the needle was in use for both
structural and decorative purposes. For example, some of the fi nds from Verucchio have
seams and hems,^25 while stitches are visible on the garments of the Augurs depicted in
the Tomb of the Augurs at Tarquinia.^26 Applied decoration was used in Etruscan textiles
and could consist of seeds, glass beads, amber or metal attachments. The evidence of
sewing activities also comes to us in the shape of numerous fi nds of bronze and bone
needles.^27
DYEINGWhile plant fi bers resulted in uniformly colored shades of grey-white, wool came in a
variety of natural shades, which could be used for decorative purposes, and white wool
could be dyed many bright colors. Tomb paintings illustrate Etruscan garments and
utilitarian textiles resplendent in reds, blues, greens, yellows and purples. A variety of
plants and animals could have been used for the purpose.^28 Dye analyses of surviving
textiles from Verucchio and Sasso di Furbara demonstrate the popularity of reds, blues
and purples. Blue color could be obtained from woad (Isatis tinctoria L.). Reds and oranges
were some of the most sought after and expensive colors. The root of dyer’s madder (Rubia
tinctorum L. and other similar species like Rubia peregrina L.), native to south Europe
and cultivated by Roman times, was probably the most commonly used red dye source.
According to later sources, Etruscans called it lappa minor.^29 Yellows could be obtained
more easily and from a larger variety of plants, such as weld or dyer’s weed (Reseda luteola
L.), dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria L.) and many others. In addition to the bright
colors, often requiring expensive and rare dyes, a variety of shades could be obtained from
plants common throughout the Italian Peninsula. Many trees produce tannin-bearing
dyes, which are also used for the curing of hides. Thus, oak and sumac can be used to dye
textiles yellow, brown, or black, while pine produces brown and yellow dyes. Galls and
nuts were commonly used for brown. The berries of Sambucus nigra L. produce green or
black color while blueberries create a violet, pink, or blue-grey effect. River cane can be