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+--- Thread: Felt, finds and or written record? (/showthread.php?tid=25454)
Felt, finds and or written record? - Folkert van Wijk - 03-19-2016
At the risk of asking something that has been asked before, I just trough it out (again)
1) Are there actual finds of Felt products (clothing?) in the roman period and or culture?
2) If not so, then is there something written by the romans about the use or production of felt.
In other words how likely is it that felt was made an used in Roman times and or culture?
RE: Felt, finds and or written record? - Michael Kerr - 03-21-2016
I could not find much information on finds of felt or the use of felt by the Romans except some coins but there was a lot of information on use by the steppe tribes and a little by the Greeks in Homer's books but it seems that the Romans received the use of felt as well as the name from the Greeks (pilos). An early Roman written example on the use of felt can be found in Caesar, The Civil Wars, Book 3, 44. (From LacusCurtius website).
Whenever Caesar had to occupy any spot, although Pompeius had decided not to try to prevent it with his whole armed force and fight a pitched battle, yet he kept sending up, in suitable positions, archers and slingers, of whom he had a great number, and many of our men were wounded. A great dread of the arrows fell on them, and to avoid the missiles nearly all the soldiers had made themselves jerkins or other protections out of felt, quilt or hide.
It seems that the tight-fitting cap (Latin Pileus, pilleus, pileum, pilleum) worn by the Romans at meals, festivals and theatrical performances was made of felt. The felt cap was also a symbol of liberty for when a slave obtained his freedom, he had his head shaved and wore the skull-cap of undyed felt. The phrase ad pileum vocare (to call to the felt cap) had the meaning to call the slaves to freedom.
When Nero died in 68AD, Suetonius spoke of the common people roaming about in the streets as an expression of joy the “felted mob” (plebs pileata). The coins minted in the reign of Antonius Pius show the picture of Liberty holding the cap in her right hand.
Pliny wrote in his Natural History that Book VIII, 73 the wool is compressed also for making felt, which when soaked in vinegar is capable of even resisting iron: and what more , after having gone through the last process, wool will even resist fire.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Michael Kerr
RE: Felt, finds and or written record? - LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS - 03-21-2016
The roman use the word gausapa to design heavy clothes made probably with felt.