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Critical Evaluation of Techniques for the Identification of Archaeological Bast Fibres: Flax, Hemp and Nettle
Waudby, Denis B.
Waudby, Denis B.
Publication Date
2019
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The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.
Peer-Reviewed
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Accepted for publication
Institution
University of Bradford
Department
School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences. Faculty of Life Sciences
Awarded
2019
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Abstract
Fibre plants favour different growth conditions and require different levels of
husbandry. However, the fibres share some physical and material properties,
which make them difficult to distinguish in the archaeological record. This
thesis evaluates the effectiveness of methods for characterising bast fibres
including; fibre chemical analysis, mechanical testing and fibre morphology, to
propose that longitudinal microfibrillar angle (MFA) and cross-sectional
circularity (Ct) used in a two-step procedure to analyse selected modern fibres
of nettle (Urtica dioica L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp (Cannabis
sativa L.) could offer an alternative approach.
The reliability of MFA and Ct, as diagnostic features, was evaluated under a
temperature accelerated degradation 48week trial with eight fibre types from
three deposition soils Post deposition, surviving fibres were subjected to
evaluation of changes in MFA and Ct. An additional check on the diagnostic
efficacy was conducted within a blind-test protocol.
Finally, the research programme employs MFA and Ct in the diagnosis of a
range of archaeological textile fibres from museum collections and fibres from
the Kasr el Yahud mass burial. The thesis includes recommendations to
address future post thesis research programmes.
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Type
Thesis
Qualification name
PhD