Introduction
Weaving is acknowledged as one of the oldest surviving crafts in the world. The tradition of weaving traces back to Neolithic times – approximately 12,000 years ago. Even before the actual process of weaving was discovered, the basic principle of weaving was applied to interlace branches and twigs to create fences, shelters and baskets for protection.
20,000 – 30,000 years ago early man developed the first string by twisting together plant fibers. Preparing thin bundles of plant material and stretching them out while twisting them together produced a fine string or thread. The ability to produce string and thread was the starting place for the development of weaving, spinning, and sewing.
Stone Age Man’s early experiments with string and thread lead to the first woven textiles. Threads and strings of different sizes were knotted and laced together to make many useful things.
During the Neolithic Era mankind developed great skill in weaving cloth. Every household produced cloth for their own needs. Weaving cloth remained an activity associated with the family unit for thousands of years. By the 11th century many of the weaving patterns used today had been invented.