Study of Textiles

 This past Tuesday, our class visited the McClung Museum in the University of Tennessee to see, among other things, the textiles created by the early people living in Tennessee. People in this area began weaving textiles during the Mississippian Period (beginning about 900 AD). These textiles had many different uses, such as clothing, bedding, and bags. This Mississippian bag (above) is an incredibly old example of these early Tennessean's weavings. It is so old in fact, that it cannot be displayed with continuous light on it for fear it will deteriorate. There are very few physical pieces of cloth that have survived like this one, because most were made with plant fibers, which tend to break down very quickly. However, archaeologists have a good deal of knowledge of textiles from the imprints they have have found on clay pots from the era. 

While mankind's use of stone spear points may have dwindled, textiles have remained (quite obviously) widely used. Now, however, we have invented many tools and techniques as well as created many synthetic fibers that are more durable, cheaper, and easier to use than some organic fibers. Below is a photograph of a bag (designed by Paulina Reyes for Kate Spade) made from palm leaf fibers.

 [McClung Museum]