Station: [21c] Alley 3 - A family of weavers

A family of weavers works and lives in the neighboring house. Since they also work for export their house is also better equipped than the shoemaker’s house. There are two rooms: at the front is the workshop, at the back the living room.  A so-called tread loom can be seen in the workshop as was used here since the 11th century.

With the aid of foot pedals, a part of the warp thread is raised, forming a shed through which the weft thread is led. If you tread once more, another part of the warp thread is raised and another shed is formed for the weft thread. Thus the threads intercross and form a fabric.

In addition to wool processing, flax is also spun and weaved to linen. Linen was an important export material for the Slavic regions in the Middle Ages.

The roads between the houses are also fitted with wooden planks, as is the open space opposite the weaver’s house.

This type of flooring is typical for early towns. It enables residents to move from house to house even in the rain without ruining their shoes. Here we can see women in the open space chatting to each other. One woman has wool and spindle with her to use the time to spin the wool.

This exhibition tour ends here. Please turn to the right in front of the barn and enter the ‚Slavic Island‘