Loomweights: Use and Manufacture at Trypitos, Siteia

chapter 36

Loomweights: Use and Man ufacture at Try pitos, Siteiaby Chrysa Sofianou

In 1987, N. Papadakis, then head of the 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, began excavating in the Trypitos area where a fortified Hellenistic town had been discovered (Fig. 36.1).1 By 2000, various build-ings had been excavated, which were organized into town blocks, as well as a large part of the fortification wall (Fig. 36.2). Among the great number of small finds that came to light, the large number and uniform character of the loomweights were the most impressive. The 219 loomweights that are presented here were found in the first town block (Cluster A), which is located directly next to the fortification wall of the ancient city.

The loomweights (or αγνύθες as they were called in ancient times) are the clay weights used to keep the warp threads taut in a standing loom (Fig. 36.3).2 In the Greek world, the warp-weighted standing loom was used from Neolithic times until the Roman period, when it was replaced by a different type of standing loom that utilized an upper and lower cloth beam (αντίον) and did not require αγνύθες.3

T ypolo gy

These small artifacts can be categorized into three main types according to their shape: pyramidal, conic, and discoid. The loomweights of Trypitos, with the exception of eight that are disc shaped and one that is amphiconic, are formed in the shape of a quadrilateral pyramid with a suspension hole of small diameter where one or more threads were tied directly. Alternatively, small sticks or strings may have been passed through such holes, allowing threads to be tied with greater ease. Since no traces of metal were detected in the holes in question, we think it unlikely that metal rings or small rods were used for this purpose.4

1. Papadakis 1988, 1995. I thank the staff of the 24th Ephorate of Pre-historic and Classical Antiquities for their help and support, in particular, the guards of the Siteia Museum.

2. For other uses, see Levi 1965–1966a, p. 580; Tzouvara-Souli 1983, p. 16; Di Giuseppe 1995, p. 141.

3. For the study of looms, see Wil-son 1938, pp. 114–135; Crowfoot

1936–1937; Tsigonaki 1994, p. 158.4. Regarding the loomweight in the

British Museum that preserves the metal ring, see Davidson and Thomp-son 1943, p. 68; Richter 1931, p. 291.

c hry sa sof iano u422

Figure 36.1. Trypitos: fortification wall and houses of town block A. View from the southeast. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities

Figure 36.2. plan of Trypitos.After Vogeikoff-Brogan and Papadakis 2003, p. 67, fig. 22

l o omw eig ht s : u se and man ufacture at try p ito s 423

The pyramidal weights are not ornamented; they are neither stamped nor bear engraved letters. Thirteen of them have shallow holes on their sides and base. A brief study found that the holes do not constitute a precise indication of their weight, and we can not conclude their purpose with any certainty. In contrast, all of the discoid weights bear some type of mark, such as a stamp, a fingerprint, or an engraved delta (Fig. 36.4).5 The two loomweights bearing a delta are of similar weight. The letter was carved before firing, possibly in order to indicate some property of the object; in this case, it most likely denotes weight in a system of measurement that remains unknown to us. Engraved deltas found on vessels and ostraka from the Athenian Agora have been interpreted as “deka” (ten) without refer- ence, however, to the system of measurement used. While lead pyramidal scale weights with a delta engraved on their base have been found on Delos,6 and lead weights with the same engraved letter are present on Kea,7 the weights of other published loomweights bearing a delta are not known, and there is no standard that would allow us to draw any conclusions.8 The purpose of the stamps and engravings found on some weights is not clear, and the various interpretations that have been proposed have not been substantiated.

Since the essential function of a loomweight is to be a weight, particular attention was paid to this feature: 176 intact pyramidal and seven discoid weights, three of which are slightly defective, were weighed (Table 36.1). The majority of the pyramidal loomweights are quite light, with most weighing between 50 and 55 g. The heaviest is the one with two suspension

Figure 36.3. pyramidal loomweights from Trypitos. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities

5. For other loomweights bearing a delta, see Wilson 1930, p. 128; David-son and Thompson 1943, p. 88, no. 89. See also Corinth XII, p. 152; Levi 1965–1966a, p. 18.

6. Délos XVIII, p. 158.7. Caskey 1969, pl. 330.8. A pyramidal loomweight bearing

a delta was found in Armento (Di Giu- seppe 1995, p. 146). This weight, how-ever, weighs 60 g and thus differs in weight from the discoid loomweights of Trypitos.

Figure 36.4 . Discoid loomweights from Trypitos with stamped rosette (left), stamped palmette (center), and incised delta (right). Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities


holes (160 g). The discoid weights range between 125 and 330 g; their small number, however, does not allow for classification. This comparison leads us to believe that the pyramidal loomweights were used to weave all types of fabrics. A weight was tied to each individual thick thread or to several thin threads joined together. The few heavy weights were tied to the first and last thread to allow for an even selvage.9

A comparison of our classification by weight with the loomweights made in Eleutherna and Argyroupolis (ancient Lappa) initially suggested that, while a variety of shapes were found at those two sites, it is only at Trypitos that a single shape clearly outnumbers all others.10 Comparison was only possible between the pyramidal weights, which, at all three sites, weigh between 40–55 or 60 g. Moreover, there are similarities in the decoration of the weights from Hellenistic House A at Eleutherna and the buildings in Cluster A at Trypitos (Fig. 36.5). The pyramidal loom-weights from both sites are engraved (e.g., with a hook, or with two lines that cross in an X) but bear no stamps, while the discoid weights, con-versely, bear similar stamps (e.g., flower, anthemion, letters) (Fig. 36.4). The fact that there are similarities in both the weight and the decoration of loomweights from two Hellenistic houses in different cities within the restricted geographical area of Crete raises interesting questions for further analysis.

TAble 36.1. Weigh Ts oF lo omWeigh Ts From Tryp i Tos, ClusTer A

Weight (g) Quantity (Details)

P y ramidal

25 130 135 240 845 1050 3455 5960 2765 970 1575 480 385 1100 1160 1 (with two suspension holes)

Discoid

125 1135 1 (with two suspension holes, fingerprint, partial)155 1 (with two suspension holes, floral imprints, partial)180 1 (inscribed with Δ, partial)195 1 (inscribed with Δ)200 1 (with two suspension holes, circular fingerprints)330 1 (with two suspension holes)

9. Barber 1991, p. 96.10. Tsigonaki 1994, p. 164.


Chronolo gy

The town of Trypitos is dated between the 3rd and the 2nd centuries b.c. based on the pottery and the coins found in the course of the excava-tions.11 Because of this, no question concerning the chronology of the loomweights found in the same excavation strata can be raised, since the study of their shape and other characteristics does not provide us with enough evidence for a more precise chronological positioning. We know for certain that they were being used during the time period in question; however, we do not know when they were manufactured, nor can we accurately determine the age of any given weight. In any case, the short life span of the city does not allow for further analysis, leading us to the conclusion that the loomweights, like the coins and pottery of Trypitos, belong to the Hellenistic period.

The number oF Weigh Ts

The number of weights used in each loom was not fixed and is difficult to determine accurately, because the number depended on the type of fabric being woven and the weight of the individual loomweights.12 It has been calculated that to weave a peplos 1.75 m wide, roughly 65–70 loomweights were required—but if small pyramidal weights were to be used, more than 100 might have been required.13 The weaving of carpets, bedding, and clothing varies in terms of dimensions and quality. Consequently, weavers had to have at hand a number of loomweights of different weight from which they could select the ones they needed for each job, and, depending

11. Papadakis 1995, p. 749; Vogei-koff-Brogan and Papadakis 2003, p. 66.

12. Tzachili 1997, p. 181.

Figure 36.5. Trypitos: plan of Cluster A. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities

13. Corinth XII, p. 147; Davidson and Thompson 1943, p. 70; Tsigonaki 1994, p. 161.


on the length of the piece of cloth, they would set up either a large loom or a small loom, which required fewer weights. The weights that were not used on the loom were stored in wall niches, in cabinets, or small baskets, which is why they are often found in large groups during excavations.14 As a result, the existence of a large number of loomweights of different weights in a residence, as in the case of Trypitos, and not in a weaving workshop, has nothing to do with the number of looms.15 In any case, many looms could not have been in use at the same time in a house, not only because looms required many hands, but also for practical reasons—a large loom was approximately 2 m in length, and looms had to be set up near a wall in a well-lit and well-aired room with no humidity.16

lo CAT ion oF The isTeonAs

Since looms were made entirely of wood and cannot be preserved in the Greek climate, we will never be able to prove whether one or more looms were in place at the time of destruction.17 An attempt, therefore, was made to locate the isteonas, that is, the room where weaving work took place.

It is common during excavations to come across groups of loom-weights. These may be from a single loom or may have been stored in a special part of the house. At Trypitos, a number of groups of loomweights, whose weights are more or less the same, were found within a small area (Table 36.2). Five groups of loomweights were found to the south of room A 7 and four groups to the southwest of room A 8 (Fig. 36.6). From both loca-tions, a total of more than 140 pyramidal loomweights, weighing 55–75 g on average, were found. Initially we thought that there were many looms at this location, but other findings suggest that this was not the case. room A 7 was used as a storage room and household workshop, and its dimensions do not allow for the erection of a loom. Instead, it seems that many of the loomweights found in this room were evidently stored there by a weaver or workshop craftsman.

The loom may have been set against the south wall of room A 8. This large room may have been the oikos of the house, where the household members conducted their daily activities. Unfortunately, we cannot gain a more clear idea of what this area was like, since its eastern part, along with other rooms of the house, was destroyed in 1960 when the peninsula was landscaped to allow for agricultural activities. But it seems most likely that the loom was set up on the upper floor of the house; the existence of two column bases on either side of the hearth in room A 8 leads us to as-sume that there was an upper floor.18 This is where the gynaikonitis of the house, which was also used as an isteonas, was probably located. The wide dispersal of loomweights throughout the town block further supports this hypothesis. Groups of five and 10 loomweights were discovered under the roof tiles in room A 1, which seems to have had a public function, possibly that of a prytaneion or andreion.

After the collapse of the upper floor, most of the loomweights fell below into room A 8; moreover, due to the slope of the ground, a group of 16 weights ended up in the rock-cut pit where a large jar was placed.

14. E.g., at Kolonna in the Lasithi Plain, 58 loomweights were found stored in a niche in the wall and an- other eight in other parts of a building of the 3rd century b.c. (Watrous 1980).

15. On the number of looms, see Cahill 2002, pp. 169–179, and pp. 250–252 for the evidence from Olynthus.

16. Tzouvara-Souli 1983, p. 16.17. On the location of the isteonas,

see Halieis II, pp. 78–79.18. For a different opinion concern-

ing upper floors in Hellenistic houses, see Vogeikoff-Brogan, this volume (Chap. 35).


Other loomweights fell into room A 1, which is adjacent to room A 8, and the rest fell into room A 7 where other loomweights were already present. More specifically, 23 loomweights were found in room A 1, 56 in room A 8, and 92 in room A 7; the rest of the loomweights were dispersed among the other rooms.

mAnuFACT ure

The pale clay of the loomweights, which resembles that of the vessels found during the excavations, indicates the loomweights were manu-factured locally. The discoid loomweights were molded by a craftsman whose fingerprints can clearly be seen, and the stamped loomweights, because they have a very smooth surface and are all of the same width, must have been made in a mold. The pyramidal weights also seem to have been mold-made. Two of these have a slightly concave base that

TAble 36.2. lo CAT ion oF groups oF lo omWeigh Ts AT Tryp i Tos, ClusTer A

Groups Room(s)

Three groups of 4 (A 7)Two groups of 5 (A 7, A 1)Two groups of 8 (A 7)Two groups of 6 (A 7, A 8)One group of 7 (A 8)Three groups of 10 (A 7, A 8, A 1)One group of 16 (A 8)One group of 31 (A 7)

Figure 36.6. Trypitos: room A 8, with central hearth and two column bases. View from the west. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities


19. Davidson and Thompson 1943, p. 72.

20. Faklaris and Stamatopoulou 1997, p. 123.

21. Peristeri, Blonde, and Perreault 1986, p. 71.

was certainly made before firing, when the craftsman pressed the clay into the mold.19 The item that confirms their method of manufacture, however, is a clay mold for pyramidal loomweights that was found, in fragments, in room A 7 (Fig. 36.7). It is a hollow truncated quadrilat-eral pyramid with no base and very thick sides; it measures 0.095 m high, 0.065 x 0.05 m on the smaller sides, and 0.085 x 0.07 m on the larger sides; the mold cavity itself is 0.07 m deep. The use of such a mold allowed the craftsman to make quantities of loomweights in the same way that children today make sandcastles on the beach with plastic buckets.

A quick look at the surprisingly large number of small finds from room A 7 suggests that it was both a storage room and a household workshop. The large number of pithoi and other large vessels testify to its use as a storage room, while a large quantity of nails and other metal objects, stone polish-ers, pumice stones, and sea shells may indicate the existence of workshop activity relating to the manufacture of dyes.20 Its use as a ceramic workshop is proven by the clay mold, masses of clay, traces of burning detected in the northern side of the room, the large number of loomweights found there, and lead clamps, which, as is well known, were used to repair broken vessels. The room may have served as the household’s ceramic workshop for the repair of the everyday items used in the household and the manufacture of loomweights to fulfill its own needs.

But where were the loomweights fired? Room A 7 communicates to the north with a small, square area (A 13) without any openings. The floor was paved with large slabs of stone, and the whole surface was covered with a thick burnt layer mixed with animal bones. This small space, whose construction is quite careful, may have been used secondarily as a household oven in addition to the firing of loomweights. There are no remaining traces of props or grill supports, but it is possible that such items were not used or were movable due to their small size.21

Figure 36.7. Trypitos: clay mold for pyramidal loomweight from room A 7. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities


To the east of the oven/kiln, a square construction with no openings was excavated. At first this construction was interpreted as a cistern (Fig. 36.8), because both its tile-covered floor, which is on a higher level than those of the other rooms, and its internal walls are coated with hydraulic cement. The floor is tilted toward the south side where there are two outflow holes, while two cylindrical clay pipes were used as drains to the large room A 8 (Fig. 36.9). There the water must have been collected in large vessels, since no traces of pipes for its transport have survived. A strip on the floor, which is neither covered by tiles nor coated, indicates the cistern was divided in two parts, from north to south, by some perishable material that has not

Figure 36.8. Trypitos, Cluster A: cistern east of oven/kiln (room A 13) and north of room A 8. View from the northwest. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities

Figure 36.9. Trypitos, cluster A: cylindrical clay pipes draining into room A 8. Courtesy 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities


survived. Located on either side of the strip are the two drains. It is likely that this complex served as settling pits for the clay used in the workshop.

The phenomenon of constructing a small kiln and a ceramic workshop within the bounds of a residential area was not uncommon in ancient Greek cities, since large open spaces were not required for the drying of the ceramics and a regular water cistern was sufficient for its needs.22 Thus, it is possible that we have a small ceramic workshop, established to serve the needs of a household, which could account fully for the existence of the 219 loomweights.

ConClusions

In the ancient household economy, in which producers were also consumers, the manufacture of textiles was very important. Literary evidence suggests that debts or taxes may have been settled with homemade cloths manu-factured by the female population of the family.23 A five-member family required, for clothing and other necessary household items, approximately 40 m2 of cloth a year. It is estimated that a woman had to invest about four hours of labor time for each meter of cloth produced;24 as a consequence, a large part of a woman’s life was spent in front of the loom, and this consti-tuted a basic daily activity. Therefore, it seems logical to assume that there was a loom permanently in use and seldom stored.

The findspots of the loomweights found in Cluster A suggest (1) that the isteonas was located on the upper floor of the house, and (2) that the workshop in room A 7 may have been connected with the manufacture of loomweights. Whether found on the loom or in a basket on the upper floor, or even if they constituted the production of a workshop, the 219 loomweights from Cluster A prove that the art of weaving was known in the Hellenistic town of Trypitos. Indeed, textile production must have oc-cupied an important position among the everyday activities of its residents and within the household economy, since a workshop for the manufacture of loomweights was discovered.

As loomweights are durable and their replacement is not often re-quired, the existence of a workshop cannot be justified only by the need to meet the demands of one household. The household workshop must have manufactured a surplus of loomweights that were channeled into the town market, thus providing an extra source of income for the household. Thirty-one loomweights, which were found in room A 7, may have been an order that the workshop never delivered. Since the “Kerameikos” of the town of Trypitos has already been located on the beach to the east of the peninsula,25 this small workshop uncovers an aspect of daily household activities that also produced financial gain.

Future progress in the study of the material from similar contexts may necessitate revision of some of the above conclusions or lead us to alternative ones. But despite this, the clay loomweight mold, the masses of clay, and the coated cistern within the city limits constitute proof of the existence of a household ceramic workshop and of a daily economic activity taking place within the household.

22. Kalpaxis 1995, p. 45.23. Loftus 1999, p. 174.24. Carr 2000, p. 164.25. Empereur, Marangou, and

Papadakis 1992, p. 634.

Loomweights: Use and Manufacture at Trypitos, Siteia

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