Gold and silk embroidered braid, 900 CE Scotland

Harris, Susanna; Davis, Mary; Makin, Alexandra; Cartwright, Caroline; Elliott-Minty, Celia; Opitz, Rachel; Macente, Alice; Vanden Berghe, Ina

Gold and silk embroidered braid, 900 CE Scotland

Resource type

Abstract

Creator (person)

Harris, Susanna

ORCID

Davis, Mary

Makin, Alexandra

ORCID

Cartwright, Caroline

Elliott-Minty, Celia

Opitz, Rachel

Macente, Alice

Vanden Berghe, Ina

Date published

2023

Abstract

In 2014 metal detectorists in southwest Scotland discovered a Viking Age hoard of metals and other precious materials, including rare, preserved textiles, and silk braid with unusual gold embroidery. The braid is part of a textile-wrapped bundle containing three gold filigree socketed mounts and a black stone pendant with gold filigree casing. In one section, two strands of silk braid are connected by gold embroidery in a diamond pattern. Some of the silk appears to be threaded through a ring of gold thread. The socketed mounts were connected by the braid, and the same type of braid was used to suspend the pendant, possibly also threading through a ring of gold threads. There are two types of gold thread. Both are made from gold strips twisted around a silk core, one is doubled. This ‘doubled’ gold yarn has few parallels and creates a dynamic texture. In this paper we present the preliminary results of the silk braid with gold embroidery, including fibre analysis of the braid using SEM, braid structure and embroidery technique using optical microscopy, composition of the gold using SEM-EDS and CT analysis of position, 3D morphology and formation of the braid and its embroidery. In addition, we will present the dyes preserved in the braids and embroidery threads, which were analysed by HPLC-DAD.