Ancient textiles draw archaeologists’ interest

A folded piece of ancient fabric discovered in a funerary urn at an archaeological dig in Athens in the 1980s is prepared for a CT scan. New imaging technology has spurred interest in ancient fabrics, with the Greek Ministry of Culture taking part in EuroWeb, a European network of scholars and stakeholders dedicated to the history and conservation of textiles and related crafts. “It is the only piece of fabric we have in Greece from the 5th century BC,” says Dr Christina Margariti, head of applied research at the ministry’s Conservation Directorate, stressing that what also makes this piece noteworthy is the fact that it is embroidered.