Nålebound socks
Date:
250–420
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Egypt
Medium:
Wool
Dimensions:
25.5 cm in height and 18 cm in length
Description:
These socks were excavated from the burial grounds of ancient Oxyrhynchus, a Greek colony on the Nile in central Egypt. They were made with a single-needle technique called nalbinding or nålebinding (from the Danish for "binding with a needle"), which predates knitting. The oldest examples of nålebinding come from the Coptic Christians of Egypt (fourth century CE). Socks with a divided-toe design allowed them to be worn with sandals.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
2
Repository and Online Resources:
• These socks are in the Victoria and Albert Museum (2085&A-1900).
• Watch a video on nålebinding and the collection of socks from late Roman Egypt at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Image Credits:
Wikimedia Commons; Linda Safran
