ARCHEOLOGIA E ARCHEOMETRIA DEL TESSUTO ANTICO: UN GRUPPO DI MANUFATT I AUREI DALL’AREA VESUVIANA (POMPEI, ERCOLANO, OPLONTIS)

Abstract

Textile manufacturing is one of the most representative classes of material culture; furthermore, it significantly
represents one dynamic factor of connectivity of ancient Mediterranean world. In this perspective,
luxury products are particularly interesting among the textile manufacture processes, as fabrics realized with
different techniques. They include threads, decorations or appliques, in golden material, often associated
with purple.
The vesuvian area represents a unique case study to deepen inside ancient textile culture, thanks to its
important collection of artefacts. These items attest highly diversified examples of textile products that were
used or stored in the city while the environmental catastrophe of AD 79 occurred. The present contribution
is dedicated to the results of the archaeological and archaeometrical analysis performed on 24 textiles found
in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis. On the basis of raw materials, techniques and dyes, the analyzed
fragments of fabrics are to be considered luxury goods. Specifically, the investigation focuses on two groups
of textiles: 16 fabrics made of gold threads and 8 mineralized textile fragments of fine quality and dyed
with purple. The microscopic, spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis offers insight about production
techniques and precious materials used for the manufacture of gold threads and fabrics during the early
imperial age.