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PREHISTORIC TEXTILE FABRICS. 



In regard to the manufacture of this particular fabric, I am unable 

 to arrive at any very definite conclusion. As demonstrated by Miss 

 Osgood, it may be knitted by hand, the threads of the warp being 

 fixed at one end and the woof at both by wrapping about pegs set in a 

 drawing board or frame, as shown in the diagram, Fig. 74. 



Fig. 75. — Theoretic device for working the twist. 



The combination is extremely difficult to produce by mechanical 

 means, and must have been beyond the reach of any primitive loom. 

 I have prepared a diagram, Fig. 75, which shows very clearly the ar- 

 rangement of threads, and illustrates a possible method of supporting 



Fig. 7G. — From fragment of mound pottery, Tennessee. 



the warp while the woof is carried across. As each thread of the woof 

 is laid in place, the threads of the warp can be thrown to the opposite 

 support, a turn or half twist being made at each exchange. The work 

 could be done equally well by beginning at the top and working down- 



