Abstract
Several historical written sources informs that fibers from the nettle family (Urticaceae) have been used in Scandinavian textile production. Despite this, the limited evidence of preserved nettle textiles brings this into doubt, as no complete textile of local origin has been identified. Everyday textiles made of locally grown plants have generally not been preserved to the same extent as more special textiles, and for that reason their fiber content has not been determined by conclusive methods. Special textiles are often found in ceremonial contexts and are generally made of flax (Linum usitatissimum) and/or hemp (Cannabis sativa). In our search for evidence of a complete textile made in Scandinavia of native nettles (Urtica dioica or Urtica urens) we found a well-known object, a bed sheet from 1827 purportedly woven of nettle, stored at the National Museum in Copenhagen. However, fiber analysis revealed it is made of hemp or possible hop (Humulus lupulus), or a blend of the two. Our examination reveals that historical written sources and plant fiber analysis must be critically examined. From the late 18th to the early 20th centuries botanists included both hemp and hop in the nettle family, causing misinterpretations of “nettle” botany, cultivation, and textile production.
Published Version
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