Harris Susanna, Brøns Cecilie, Zuchowska Marta (eds.) Textiles in Ancient Mediterranean Iconography

Oxbow Books, 2022. — 304 p.This volume provides an ambitious synopsis of the complex, colorful world of textiles in ancient Mediterranean iconography. A wealth of information on ancient textiles is available from depictions such as sculpture, vase painting, figurines, reliefs and mosaics. Commonly represented in clothing, textiles are also present in furnishings and through the processes of textile production. The challenge for anyone analyzing ancient iconography is determining how we interpret what we see. As preserved textiles rarely survive in comparable forms, we must consider the extent to which representations of textiles reflect reality, and critically evaluate the sources. Images are not simple replicas or photographs of reality. Instead, iconography draws on select elements from the surrounding world that were recognizable to the ancient audience, and reveal the perceptions, ideologies, and ideas of the society in which they were produced. Through examining the durable evidence, this anthology reveals the ephemeral world of textiles and their integral role in the daily life, cult and economy of the ancient Mediterranean.Dr. Susanna Harris is Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Glasgow. Her research focus lies on prehistoric Europe and the central Mediterranean with expertise in organic artefacts and representational art. She studies textiles, leather and basketry of the Neolithic to Bronze Age and the role of these materials in dress and identity investigated through people represented in stone, metal or ceramics.
Cecilie Brøns is a post-doctoral researcher at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. She has a PhD in Classical archaeology from the National Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen. Her research interests include ancient textiles, ancient polychromy, pigments and dyes, colours of antiquity, ancient Greek cult and religion and votive offerings. Her first book, Gods and Garments: Textiles in Greek Sanctuaries in the 7th to the 1st Centuries BC, appeared in this series in 2016.
Marta Zuchowska is Lecturer in Archaeology at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw. She completed her PhD at the Faculty of History, University of Warsaw. Her current research focuses on textiles and their role in the economies of ancient societies. She was a member of the Polish archaeological team at Palmyra in 1995-2010.