The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-23
SPINNING AND WEAVING.
The Work of To Day Compared With
That Of Ancient Times.


were principally performed by women;
indeed, the words woof, weaving and
web are allied to the word wife. How
ever. in ancient Egypt and in India men
also wrought at the loom. Probably
nothing could be simpler or ruder than
the looms used by ancient weavers.
Were we to compare these with the looms
aud other weaving apparatus of to-day,
and reason therefrom that, as the loom
SO must have been the cloth produced
thereon, we would make a very great
mistake. There are few arts which illus
trate with equal force the argument in
favor of the perfection of ancient art so
we'll as this of weaving. Itwould appear
that our advancement is not SO much in
the direction 81 quality as in that of
quantity. There are few things we can
do that were not done by the ancients
equally perfectly. Rude as were their
looms in ancient Egypt, they produced
the far famed fine linen so often mentioned
i'll Scripture and the writings of other ma
tions. In order to show that this is not to
be regarded as a merely comparative term
applicable to a former age, we will here
quote from G. Wilkinson respecting
some mummy cloths examined by the
late Mr.. Thompson, of Clithoree: "My
irst impression on seeing those cloths
was that the first kind was muslin
and of Indian manufacture; but this
suspicion of their being cotton was soon
removed by the microscope. Some were
transparent, and of delicate texture, and
The finest had $40 threads to the inch in
the warp" Some cloth that Mr. VII
II, l., % Dc
TO the i.;ch in the warp, but this is coarse
when compared to a piece of linen found
in Memphis, which had $40 threads to
the inch in the warp. How fine must
shese threads have been! In quoting
this extract from Wilkinson to an old
weaver he fatty said it was impossible,
rs no reed could be made so fine. How
ever, there would be more threads than
one in the split, and by adopting this we
can make cloth having between 400 and
500 in the inch. The ancient cloths are
much finer in the warp than woof,
probably from want of appliances for
driving the weft close enough, as they
do not appear to have lays as we have
for this purpose. Pliny refers to the re-
mains of a corselet, presented by Amasis,
king of Egypt, to the Rhodians, each
thread of which was composed Of 665
ibers. Hcrodotus mentions this corsc-
let, and another presented by AlDasis to
the Lacednmonians which had been car
ried up by the Samians. 1t was of linen,
ornamented with numerous figures of ami
mails worked in gold and cotton. Each
thread Of the corselct was worthy Of ad
miration, for, though very fine, every
one was composed Of $50 other threads,
all distinct 1t was probably something
of this sort that Moses refers to when he
mentions the material of which the corse-
let or girdle Of the high priest was made
the fine twined linen. Jewish women
being expert in the art of spinning.
Ancient Babylon was also celebrated for
her cloth manufacture and embroidery
work, and to be the possessor of one Of
these costly garments was no ordinary
ambition. It is no wonder
that when Achan saw amongst
the spoils of Jericho goodly Babylon
garment, he coveted it and
took it. The figure represented on tn
ancient seal Of Urukh had. says Rawlin-
son. frnged garments, delica6eiy striped
indicating an advanced condition of this
kind of manufacture five or six centuries
before Joshua. 1t may be mentioned,
however, tnat such manufactures were il
ancient times, especially in Egypt, ma
lional. Time was of little Importance,
labor was plentiful, and no craftsmen
were allowed to scheme OR plan, or in
troduce any change, but was expected to
aim at the perfection of the operate ms
he was engaged in, and this led to per-
lection in every branch Every trade had
it's own quarters in the city OF nation.
and the locality was named after the
trade. such as goldsmith quarters,
weaver's quarters, etc. This same rule
seems to have been practiced by the
Hebrews after their settlement in Pales-
tine, for we find in Scripture mention of
the Valley of Craftsmen. We also find
that certain trades continued in families.
In ancient Egypt every son was obliged
to follow the same trade as his father.
Thus caste was formed. Whether this
same was carried cut in Babylon, Persia
and Greece, we do not know; but certainly
in these nations there are in all cases Off
GERS directing the operations, and over
seers to whom these again were rcspcnsi
be, so that every manufacturing art was
carried on under strict surveillance and
to the highest state of perfection. AS
the possession of artistic work was an
ambition among the wealthy or favored
portion Of the community, it led to
emulation among the workers. Profes.
sor Rawlinson, in his Give Ancient
Monarchies," speaks of the Persians
emulating with each other in the show
they could make in their riches and va
ricties of artistic products. Speaking of
| the Persians, Professor Rawlinson says
| that the richer classes seem to have fol
lowed the court in their practices. In
their costume they wore long purple and
| fowered robes, with loose, hanging
sleeves, fowered tunics reaching to the
knee; also sleeved, embroidered trousers
! taras, and shoes Of more elegant shape
than the ordinary Persian. Under theil
trousers they wore drawers, and under
| their tunics, shirts, and under their shoes,
| stockings or socks. In their houses theil
couches were spread with gorgeous COW
| erlets, and their floors with rich carpets
habits that must have necessitated
| immense labor and skill, and indicated
great knowledge in the manufacture Of
| textile fabrics.-London queen.
The Great Eastern and NOah's Ark
The exact size of Noah.s ark has not