Military uniforms farm under the Diocletian Palace?

[Luca]

Military uniforms farm under the Diocletian Palace

The colossal imperial fortress-palace built by Diocletian emperor in Split (Croatia), would be used not only as residence, but also for more practical uses: a section of the complex, should have hosted a big textile manifacture plant to produce dress garments for roman legions.
This news was announced by Josko Belamaric (...).
The clues that brought to the sensational discovery are: the huge water pipeline (1500 litres per second, too many also for an imperial palace, but absolutely needed for the wool treatment), stores for raw materials and dyeing, big fireplaces to warm water of the working pools, sulphurous sources close to the palace needed in the whitenng process of the wool.

(from "Archeologia Viva" Magazine - issue 112 - jul/aug 2005)

It seems to me the usual publicity announcement. All these clues make me thinking to a huge Termae plant, not to a fabric farm. Don't you?
Any other has some more relevant details on this news?

[Antonius Lucretius]

It seems to me the usual publicity announcement.

To me too.. Maybe the Josko Belamaric team jumped to conclusions, unless they hold more evidence that this was indeed a garment factory.(remnants of dies, specialized tools etc..)
From the description given, a bathouse comes to mind rather than a garment factory, IMHO..
A bathouse on the scale of the imperial palace built around it.
The sulphur sources were --and still are-- used for thermal cures and maybe that is one ot the reasons Diocletian had his palace built there.. :?:

[Tasciavanous]

sulphurous sources close to the palace needed in the whitenng process of the wool.

Why do they think a sulphurous source is needed to bleach wool? after fulling with urine pegging your cloth out in the sun (on tenter hooks ever wondered where that expression came from) bleaches it.
Also is this some suggestion on tunic colours? :wink: Err no on second thoughts lets not open up that can of worms.

James

[Antonius Lucretius]

on tenter hooks ever wondered where that expression came from) bleaches it.

There you go: from Middle English teyntur, tentour, probably ultimately from Latin tentrium, shelter made of stretched skins, from tendere, to stretch.
The legionary term "papilio" for a tent looks like old miles gregarius slang to me..
Also gave "tent", ("tente" in french), tension (both french/english), tendeur (in french, the ropes used to hold a tent)..
And of course "teinture" (Dye, in english) and "teinturerie" (dry cleaner shop in english)
I looooove Gooogle.. :wink: