Linen historic

Linen textiles made from flax fibers have been known and used by mankind since antiquity (1 ). Flax has been used in many textile constructions including fine linen fabrics, laces, embroideries, and bridal fashions, and many historic linen textiles have become part of permanent museum collections. Older linen fabrics and laces are prized for their natural creamy color and luster and often have been recycled and reused. However, little is known about natural aging of linen. Most aging studies for cellulosics such as linen have involved accelerated heat-induced aging. 

These rustic cottages are marked by a mismatched sensibility, as they are typically outfitted with the outdated but still usable remnants of the occupants urban lives. Lumpy mattresses, old couches, frayed linens, dented pots, and chipped dishes enjoy new life at the cottage. Interior walls are usually covered with outdated calendars, travel posters, pictures of famous authors and historical figures, and wallpaper remnants. During the Soviet... 

At the three laboratories, samples were cleaned and treated following standard procednres to remove contaminants. The cloth samples were then combusted to gas and their radiocarbon content was measured in an Accelerator Mass Spectrometer. The almost identical AMS measurements at the three laboratories provided a calendar age range of ad 1260-1390 with at least 95% confidence (Fig. 5.17). The results from the three control samples agree with previous radiocarbon measurements and/or historical dates. The AMS dating provides conclusive evidence that the linen of the Shroud of Turin is medieval. 

Cellulose fibres originate from the seed of the plant (cotton), its stem (bast fibres) or its leaves (sisal, alfa), having, as a consequence, different percentages of cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. Basically, any plant may be used as a source of cellulose fibres, and it is a matter of historical development, availability and abundance that cotton, hemp and linen (flax) are today the most used cellulosic fibres. 

Plant fibers are cellulosic, animal fibers are proteinaceous materials, and asbestos is a crystalline silica compound. Almost every fibrous material has had some use in historic or prehistoric times. The most important natural fibers used in the textile industry are cotton, linen, wool, and silk (moth silk) (see Table 1). 

Another type of fiber available in the arena of composite materials, particularly for civil engineering purposes, are natural fibers, such as hemp and linen, which, though not having very prominent mechanical features, can be employed in bioengineering and for the restoration of old historical constructions. 

Historically, the use of wheat starch by the ancient Egyptians as an adhesive of papyrus and as an aid to harden the cloth material that covered the mummies is well known. A procedure for starch production was given in some detail in a Roman treatise by Cato in about 184 bc. Briefly, the grain was steeped in water for 10 days, pressed and mixed with fresh water, and the resulting slurry was filtered on a linen cloth. The filtrate, rich in starch, was allowed to settle, washed with water, and solar dehydrated (Whistler et al. 1984). The industrial production of wheat starch started in England in the 17th century and soon reached the United States. The first American wheat starch processing plant was established in New York around 1807. Nearly 40 years later, the same plant started to process maize starch. 

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