Dressing Situla people: prehistoric textile remains from the Dolenjski muzej Novo mesto

Abstract

This contribution examines the Iron Age textiles (8th−4th century BCE) kept at the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto, Slovenia, with the aim of identifying their raw materials, technologies, functions and social significance and situating them in a wider European context. The primary textile weave identified is a wool twill, which is typical for the Hallstatt culture and Italic textile traditions. Wool quality analysis indicates a local raw material with different processing methods. Certain diachronic changes are identified in textile structural characteristics, which may be indicative of influences from other regions.

Keywords

• slovenia
• dolenjska
• iron age
• textiles
• fibre identification
• wool quality
• identity