Next week, researchers who are interested in textiles that have been used at sea will gather. The conference “Sailing Textiles” is held at the Humanisten at the University of Gothenburg and researchers from all over Europe are coming.
The purpose of the “Sailing Textiles” conference is to bring together researchers in different fields. The conference will bring together archaeologists, historians, experts from museums and textile artisans, all researching the production and use of sails, maritime textiles, rigging and ropes from a range of different perspectives.
– We hope that the conference participants will have a good discussion that can help to formulate new strategies and approaches for the study of “maritime textiles”, says Serena Sabatini who is associate professor of archeology in the Department of Historical Studies.
Manufacture of sails during the Bronze Age
Many petroglyphs depict boats. But did the boats have sails and what did they look like in case of ice?
Photo: SHFA
During the conference, several researchers will present their research in the subject. On the first day, “Sailmaking” from different periods – from the Bronze Age to historical times – is discussed.
On the second day of the conference, scientific research and reptile breeding will take center stage.
The conference ends with Professor Eva Andersson Strand speaking on the theme “Clothes and sea voyages in Scandinavia during the Iron Age and the Viking Age”.
Serena Sabatini explains that the conference has been moved to the University of Gothenburg;
– The University of Gothenburg, located on Sweden’s west coast, is one world-renowned center for ocean research and education. It felt like a natural choice that it was Gothenburg that should host an international Euroweb meeting where the role of textiles in shipping will take center stage and be explored in different ways.
Milestone for textile research
The conference is organized at the Department of Historical Studies but is an initiative taken within the framework of COST Action CA 19131 Europe through Textiles (Euroweb). Euroweb is a network for integrated and interdisciplinary humanities and aims to formulate a new vision of European history based on textiles.
– We hope that the conference will represent a milestone in the development of textile research and the sea, says Serena Sabatini, who will present material linked to the research project “The missing link”.
More about the conference and the entire program can be found on the University of Gothenburg’s website. Sail textiles – from prehistory to early history
Text: Cecilia Sjöberg
Tags: Scientists meeting textiles sea millennia
