Loom Weight

A baked clay loom weight. This simple domestic object was a critical part of weaving cloth. Woolen clothes from Britain were highly regarded and weaving would have been carried out at Staines before, during and after the Roman era. This loom weight has a mass of 217g, is 40mm at its thickest point, and 70 x 90 x 45mm along its edges. Each loom weight would be attached to approximately 10 to 20 vertical warp threads, according to the tension required for the cloth being produced. Looms themselves would have been wooden frames, so the loom weight is usually the only record in the archaeology. This object is now part of the education team's handling box.