Nettle as a distinct Bronze Age textile plant

Area of Science:

• Archaeological science
• Textile analysis
• Prehistoric European studies

Background:

• Traditional view: Ancient European textile production, especially clothing, primarily used cultivated plants like flax and hemp, linked to agricultural development.
• This assumption has guided research into Bronze Age resource management and trade networks.

Observation:

• Analysis of the 2800-year-old Lusehøj Bronze Age Textile from Voldtofte, Denmark, was conducted.
• Scientific investigation revealed the textile's fiber composition and origin.

Findings:

• The Lusehøj textile is not made from locally cultivated flax or hemp, but from imported nettle fiber.
• The nettle likely originated from the Kärnten-Steiermark region, an area with established flax production at the time.

Implications:

• Challenges the assumption that Bronze Age textile production solely depended on cultivated plants.
• Highlights the significant, previously unrecognized role of wild plants, specifically nettle, in prehistoric textile economies.
• Suggests a need to re-evaluate resource management strategies and the exploitation of wild flora in Bronze Age Europe.