From the International Herald Tribune: Greek archaeologists discover rare example of 2,700-year-old weaving.
Archaeologists in Greece have recovered a rare section of 2,700-year old fabric from a burial imitating heroes’ funerals described by the poet Homer, officials said Wednesday.
The yellowed, brittle material was found in a copper urn during a rescue excavation in the southern town of Argos, a Culture Ministry announcement said.
“This is an extremely rare find, as fabric is an organic material which decomposes very easily,” said archaeologist Alkistis Papadimitriou, who headed the dig. She said only a handful of such artifacts have been found in Greece. [continue]
I had to read the first paragraph twice before I could parse it correctly. At first, I thought the burial was imitating heroes’ funerals.
I can imagine the surgical, precise care in handling the fabric. Any contamination, sweat, dirt, moisture, bacteria, could easily destroy it. What a fascinating find.