Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2004, Síða 195

NÁLABINDING f FØROYUM?
193
trates needles of bone, which, according to
her, have been used for nalbinding. They
are the same size and shape as those in the
archaeological fínds of Sweden and are
even similar to contemporary nalbinding
needles. The needles described by Hald are
dated to the Viking Age, but similar needles
from the Neolithic period have been found
in Denmark. Crude bone needles are also
described amongst the findings from Ribe.
It is suggested that they had been used for
nalbinding. However, another possibility,
according to Bender Jørgensen, is that they
actually are dress pins (Bender Jørgensen,
1991: 67). Some bone pins from Brattahlid
in Greenland, which in shape and size are
similar to modern needles for nalbinding,
are interpreted as hair-pins rather than nee-
dles. However, in the early 1930s, most ar-
chaeologists were hardly aware of nalbind-
ing. It has not been possible to date them,
but they seem to be from the Middle Ages
(Norlund and Stenberg, 1934: 137).
Nalbinding
Nalbinding is an ancient textile technique,
which requires needles of the same size and
shape as the needles found in Tjørnuvík.
The technique is for producing a looped
fabric, and relies on an eyed needle thread-
ed with a relatively short length of yarn.
There are several different forms of nalbi-
nding known and used in various parts of
the world, see fig. 2. The technique is also
known as looping, needle-knitting, eyed- or
single-needle knitting and knotless netting.
Textile historians have characterised the
technique as simple interconnected looping
or lateral linked looping (Seiler-Baldinger,
1994: 13). Rutt (1987: 8), who has written
an indispensable book on knitting, suggests
nalbinding for a technical term in the Eng-
lish language.
Nalbinding has existed in many differ-
ent parts of the world and the technique
has often been used for producing nets,
string bags and baskets (Danielson, 1981:
9; Seiler-Baldinger, 1994: 13-16). Ancient
garments produced in the nalbinding tech-
nique, mostly socks and mittens, are l'ound
in various archaeological sites. A well-
known Egyptian sock made in a nalbinding