Table 1 Summary of the results of the instrumental analyses applied

Stereo microscopy

Textile

Technological and weave analysis

a) 4 types of weave/construction: 1. Very fine and coarser tabby (Y1),* 2. Weft-faced tabby (Y6); 3. Slit (Y2) and toothed tapestry (Y4, 5); 3. Satin (Y3); Braided cord (Y8)

b) 2 types of decoration: 1. Embroidery (Y3, Y7); 2. Dye (Y1, Y3)

Metal threads

Technological analysis

2 types of metal threads: 1. Strip-drawn wire (Y1, Y2, 4, 5?); 2. Strip-twisted wire (Y3, Y6, Y7)

Leather

Technological analysis and grain pattern analysis

Evidence of stitching/stitching holes; inconclusive but follicle distribution could be indicative of cattle leather

SEM

Textile (applied to samples from Y1-Y8)

Fibre identification

Silk (?) for the textiles, couching threads and metal thread cores. Cellulosic bast fibres for the coated lining of Y1, and the warps of Y6

SEM–EDS

Metal threads (applied to samples from Y1-Y8)

Metal analysis

2 types of metal threads: 1. gold (Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y7); 2. Gold-silver alloy (Y2, Y4, Y5, Y6)

FTIR-ATR

Textile (applied to samples from Y1, Y5)

Fibre identification

2 types of fibes: 1. Silk ((Y1, Y5); 2. Cellulosic bast (Y1)

Textile (applied to samples from Y1, Y5)

Dye analysis

Iron(II)oxide mordants (Y1, Y5)

XRF

Textile (applied to samples from Y1, Y5)

Dye analysis and identification of white colour deposits

Iron mordants; Ca salts (Y1, Y5)

HPLC–DAD

Textile (applied to samples from Y3, Y5)

Dye analysis

Alizarin (Y5); Shellfish purple (Y3); ellagitannins (Y1, Y3)

Textile (applied to sample from Y1)

Material identification of black colour coating

Shellac resin (Y1)

ZooMS

Leather (applied to a sample from the leather fragments)

Species identification

Inconclusive results, indicative of the Bovine/Cervidae family

¹⁴C

Textile (applied to sample from Y3)

Dating

mid-10th to early eleventh century AD

Leather (applied to a sample from the leather fragments)