Continuity and change in the textile culture of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Aegean

<p dir="ltr">By 1190 BCE, the last of the Mycenaean palaces were destroyed, representing the end of the palatial system and its vast capacity to produce and consume cloth. The Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Transition (LBA/EIA; 1200/1190–900 BCE) that followed was a major transformation of the social, political, and economic organisation of the Aegean. Historically, this period has been perceived as the ‘Dark Ages’ of Greece, marked by decline and instability. As such, it has been assumed that in the absence of the palaces and their textile industries, the quality and output of textiles must have declined. However, in recent years, the LBA/EIA Transition has undergone a re-evaluation; it is recognised today that amongst the changes, substantial continuity is evident. This dissertation contributes to the scholarship of the LBA/EIA period by placing the textile culture within the growing body of literature on continuity and change.</p><p dir="ltr">The primary aim of this dissertation is to define the textile culture of the LBA/EIA period through examination of the surviving textiles and the textile tools. A corpus of surviving textiles dating from the end of the Middle Helladic to the Sub-Protogeometric was assembled to identify the techniques used in their manufacture, their appearance, and their consumption. The textile tools from Tiryns and Lefkandi were examined to reconstruct the types of textiles that were produced and the organisation of spinning and weaving activities at these sites. In drawing together the surviving textile and textile tool evidence, a comprehensive overview of the production and consumption of textiles is presented.</p><p dir="ltr">The dissertation concludes that continuity and change were woven together in the dynamic textile culture of the LBA/EIA period. This is evident in the consistent presence of foundational techniques and technologies coexisting alongside the adoption of new aesthetic styles and innovations. It is recognised that the quality and output of textiles did not decline, but instead was sustained by the skills, knowledge and creativity of spinners and weavers. Therefore, through the lens of the textile culture, the dissertation adds to the growing body of evidence bridging the gap between the Mycenaean Late Bronze Age and the historical Greek Iron Age.</p>