Weaving started thousands of years ago and still now, the technique has kept much of its original form. Although there are now several tools and modern equipment that can make patterns faster and more evenly, you can still find hand-woven products made from different parts of the globe. You will find that the design will change depending on the source and the creator. Weaving is still very much the same as it was millennia ago.

On the History

Weaving is described as the systematic interlacing of a couple of more sets of elements, using right angles, to create a consistent and even structure. The weaving process started thousands of years ago as an art form and to make different types of clothing. There is no definite date, but the ancient civilizations used the approach as a part of its daily culture. Textile products are perishable, so historians have a hard time finding the exact beginnings of weaving. Only very few woven fabrics are still present today, since there are several elements that can damage and deteriorate the materials, like insects, erosion, fire and climatic situations. Researchers have found that some fabrics maintain its condition remarkably well in cool and sealed areas.

Creation of Products

The daily needs of ancient people triggered the creation of items using fiber as a medium. The early human originally used weaving to help seek for basic needs like clothing, food and shelter. The early people may have discovered the technique and enhanced it by observing how birds make nests, how spiders make webs and how beavers make dams. All these natural activities involved the interlacing of different materials like vines or twigs.

Humans then learned how to catch fish and trap forest creatures. Twining and braiding methods also helped the early human beings make mats that cover the floors of ancient homes that ultimately keep them warm against the harsh cold outside. Exterior coverings of ancient shelters were also created via weaving methods, so humans stayed safe from harsh weather and wild animals because of weaving techniques.

The Earliest Forms

Historians and archaeologists believing that weaving, spinning and basket weaving are the earliest and most primitive crafts developed by human beings. As soon as the early humans discovered weaving, they started to make various items like hut coverings, nets, carriers for their babies, hammocks, clothes and rugs. Natural dyes from plants were added to add design and color to the created materials. Even ancient humans were highly creative and continued to improve the appearance and styles of their creations. Crude looms were invented thereafter to make web-like structures.

Prehistoric Stories

According to DNA and radiocarbon tests, some of the earliest origins of woven cloth came from Turkey and Mesopotamia way back in 7000 to 8000 BC. Some Egyptian tombs held weaver tools and products. Some of the looms found in ancient Egypt included a horizontal loom, weaving tools, spinning items and warping items. Some of the garments at this time were already highly decorative and included very intricate styles and designs.