How to Spin a Roman thread: Resurrecting the Roman Ring Distaff

While distaffs and spindle whorls survive from Roman antiquity, the mechanics of using them to produce thread still remain elusive. This talk follows my research into the specifics of how Romans made woolen thread and includes a discussion and demonstration of my reconstructed method for spinning with a ring-type hand distaff and spindle types correct for the Roman Mediterranean ca. 100 CE. We will also discuss processing raw wool using Roman materials and techniques and the joys of combining art with historical research.

Molly Jones-Lewis is an Associate Teaching Professor in Ancient Studies at the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County (UMBC). She is a historian of Greek and Roman medicine and has been a fiber artist as long as she has been able to hold a needle. Her talk for WGGB comes from the intersection of her scholarly interests and artistic endeavors: creating textiles with ancient tools and ancient methods in order to understand the working lives and artistry of Roman textile makers. Her expertise in medical history has been more helpful than expected.

 Artist’s website: https://ancientstudies.umbc.edu/faculty/mjones-lewis/