What can knitted fragments tell you? A textile scientific analysis of marine archeological finds from the 18th century. The wreck of the ship Fyrspännaren is a time capsule that provides a unique opportunity for knowledge. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge about knitted garments and their importance in the dress code for men and women during the 1770s. An additional purpose is to test whether the knitted fragments can contribute to the interpretation of the history of the wreck. The study uses the theory and method of Material Culture. The knitted fragments are the main source of information. In the analysis, additional sources are also used. It turns out that the silk socks in the late 18th century could look different from the white socks we often see depicted in paintings. There are at least eleven different types of silk socks in different colours and with different pattern knitting in the material. Most were machine-knitted, several were well-used and repaired. But they were still highly valued, according to inserted inquiries in the newspapers of the time. There were also knitted garments in cotton such as socks, hat and sweaters. The knitted fragments can also contribute to the interpretation of the history of the wreck. The study of the fragments confirms and strengthens previous conclusions that the passenger on the ship was relatively young, well-to-do and well aware of both male and female fashion. In summary, this study shows that marine archaeological finds of textiles, that are analysed with a textile scientific method and within a cultural-historical and economic-historical context, can contribute to new knowledge.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-450055 |
| Date | January 2021 |
| Creators | Johansson, Ann |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Textilvetenskap |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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