DK Eyewitness Books - Viking

45

Handle for

turning t he

beam as t he

clot h is made

Wooden upright

was leaned

against t he wall

Cross beam where t he

finished clot h is rolled

Warp t hreads

Beam dividing
t he warp t hreads

Weft t hread

Heddle rod

wit h its rest

Loom weights,

heavy rings of

clay or stone

t hat keep

t he warp

t hreads taut

Hole for moving

t he heddle-rod

rest down

Finished clot h,

made up of warp

and weft t hreads

Rest for

t he beam

WEAVING ON A VERTICAL LOOM

The warp (vertical threads) on a vertical loom is kept taut by weights at the

bottom. There are two sets of warp threads, one on each side of the beam. The

weaver passes the weft (a horizontal thread) between the two. Then she raises

the heddle rod, which brings the back warp to the front, and passes the weft

back again. After each pass she uses a weaving batten to push the new weft

against the cloth above. Pass by pass, the woven cloth grows longer.