638 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 
Looms constructed in the manner which required the kind of 
weights found in the lake dwellings, those depicted in use on the 
classic vases, and the traditional looms of the north of Europe, all 
agree in requiring a method of weaving which differs from that of all 
other looms the world over. This peculiarity was noticed by Herodo- 
tus, who visited Egypt about 400 B. C., and recorded his impressions. 
Speaking of the Egyptians, who appeared to him to do everything 
in a contrary manner, he says: “Other nations ”—meaning, of course, 
Kuropeans—“ throw the wool upward in weaving, the Egyptians 
downward.” 
Now, if you will glance again at figures 7 and 8, after you have 
noted the point on the Icelandic one, you will see that the webs on 
these looms are all being woven from the top. This necessitates beat- 
ing the weft upward as the Greek historian says, and also winding . 
the cloth upon the top roller. In fact the method of stretching the 
warp by the hanging weights and the necessary relative position of 
the cross sticks make it impossible to weave in any other way. 
The Greek lady weaving on a small frame I referred to is also 
shown commencing at the top, although in her case the warp being 
stretched upon a frame, it is not necessary to weave in what we should 
consider an awkward way; her doing so, however, shows that it was 
the custom to which she was used. 
The people of ancient Egypt did a large export trade with Kurope 
and distant parts of Africa and Arabia in manufactured linen, the 
fine linen of Egypt being unrivaled in the ancient world for evenness 
and fineness of texture. 
Owing, no doubt, to the dryness of the climate of Egypt, and the 
peculiar funeral customs of the Egyptians, many specimens of an- 
cient Egyptian textiles have been preserved. Linen cloth, which 
was woven four or five thousand years ago or even more, may still 
be seen and handled, being as perfect as when it was newly cut out 
of the loom by the industrious Egyptian weaver. 
In the British and other museums many examples of such Egyp- 
tian linen textiles may be seen. These linen cloths were unwrapped 
from the mummies whose funerals took place under the various dy- 
nasties. As to the looms on which these textiles were woven, the few 
representations of them which exist show that they were constructed 
on a different plan from those of Europe, and bear out the statement 
of Herodotus that the Egyptians beat the weft downward instead 
of upward when weaving. 
Only three pictures of ancient Egyptian looms are known to exist, 
and there seem to be no traces or fragments whatever of the looms 
themselves. 
The drawings of Egyptian looms (figs. 10, 11, and 12) were made 
from wall paintings at Bene Hasan and Thebes in Upper Kgypt. 
