Looms have been used since ancient times to create intricate cloths and textiles.
Humans have been creating cloth and textiles for thousands of years. The loom has been used as a tool for the creation of cloth since ancient times, as textiles were cherished for their form and function.
Ancient Egypt
Evidence of woven textiles have been dated around 5,000 B.C. and older. The oldest depiction of a loom was found at Badari on a pottery dish dating from the middle of the fifth millennium B.C. according to Kibutz Reshafim online. Looms in Egypt were low, horizontal ground looms, with wooden beams used to support the weaving and weight of the machine.
Ancient Loom Styles
Vertical looms with upper and lower wooden beam supports were found in Egypt as well as in ancient Rome. Ancient looms found in Europe were mostly vertical looms with warp weights. According to researchers at Smith College, warp weights were found in Catal Huyuk, an ancient city in Anatolia.
Modern Day Looms
Vertical warp weight looms continue to be used in Norway and other areas in Europe. Mechanical weaving looms have been in place from the late 1600s onward. According to Economy Point online, the earliest mechanical loom draft came about in 1678.
