{"id":3265,"date":"2021-12-23T15:22:58","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T14:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.douillet.com\/chapter-i-wool-and-human\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T19:45:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T17:45:17","slug":"history-of-wool","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.douillet.com\/en\/history-of-wool\/","title":{"rendered":"History of Wool"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tChapitre I<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of Wool<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Understand the history of wool - origins, human links<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of wool: Introduction<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Wool: At the heart of human history<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Taking an interest in the history of wool means going back to the foundations of human society, to our \u2018prehistory\u2019.<\/p>

Sheep* were one of the first species to be domesticated by humans: the first evidence of sheep farming dates back to the 9th millennium BC and was found in the Fertile Crescent.<\/p>

The benefits of domestication have helped humans to settle down.<\/p>

The transition from a nomadic to an agricultural lifestyle has led to the growth and expansion of our population, the complexity of our social structures and the emergence of technological advances.<\/p>

Humans have long been closely linked to sheep – human history is also the history of domestication.<\/p>

A brief overview to better understand our relationship with Ovis Aries<\/i><\/span>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Opposite: Drawings from the Grotte des Combarelles in the Dordogne. The numerous animal representations on the cave walls date back some 13,000 years, and highlight the historical relationship between man and the wilderness – including the mouflon sheep.

*Although many species provide wool, it is undeniably the sheep that is responsible for the largest production of wool today – and probably historically.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The origin of wool: genetic evolution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

From Ovis Orientalis to Ovis Aries<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Eleven millennia of domestication by mankind have given rise to a diversity of animal species and breeds, with very distinct characteristics.<\/p>

The various domestic breeds of sheep we know today have a common ancestor in the wild, the South-West Eurasian Mouflon (Ovis Orientalis).<\/p>

Domestication has therefore transformed animals – through a series of genetic mutations.<\/p>

These genetic mutations were motivated by the search for specific characteristics in animals: size, horn size, reproductive capacity, etc. In the case of sheep, the quality of their wool. – in the case of sheep, the quality of their wool. <\/p>

The history of wool is first and foremost that of natural selection: as genetic mutations occur, in the search for a more abundant material with enhanced characteristics, wool is born.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Opposite: \u2018Le Moufflon\u2019, engraving by Jean-Charles Baquoy, 1771. This naturalistic depiction clearly shows the animal’s characteristics -raz hair, developed horns – and helps us to understand the characteristics it shares with today’s sheep. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of wool: Early human uses<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Adaptable material<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The first uses of wool for textiles probably date back to the end of the Neolithic period, between 5500 and 3000 BC.\u00b9.
<\/span><\/span><\/p>

During<\/span><\/span> this period, spinning tools were transformed – becoming smaller to adapt to the size of the wool fibre – as was the sheep’s fleece, which changed from a short-haired fleece to a woolly fleece\u00b2.<\/p>

The development of shearing equipment from the Bronze Age onwards (around 3000 BC), and of weaving equipment, then enabled mankind to exploit and process wool on a larger scale – and to diversify the uses to which it was put.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

1 : Dating from 5000 BC to 4500 BC, a large number of tools for spinning textile fibres (spindle whorl<\/a>) have been found in the Middle East.<\/p>

The fact that they have become smaller indicates that they were used to adapt to a finer fibre, such as wool. Fragments of wool have been found at habitation sites in Egypt dating from the same period. <\/p>

2 : Although the domestication of sheep began around 11 to 9 millennia ago, the first attested evidence of sheep having developed wool dates back to the beginning of the Bronze Age (3000 BC). This transformation may have begun a few millennia earlier, around 6000 BC.<\/p>

Sources :
– The Cambridge History of Western Textiles<\/a>
– Wolfram Schier : From hair sheep to wool sheep.<\/p>

3: Metal forces, developed from the Bronze Age onwards, made it easier to shear sheep.
The fabrics produced – although relatively coarse, partly due to the wool of the sheep at the time containing a large amount of kemp (guard hair) – already show complex weaves (such as twill), and some are dyed with natural dyes\u00b3.<\/p>

Source : Dressing Central European prehistory \u2013 the sheep’s contribution An interdisciplinary study about archaeological textile finds and archaeozoology<\/a><\/p>

Opposite: Packing comb, used during the weaving process in traditional Berber weaving.<\/p>

Source : Linguistics and cultural technology: The example of the Berber vertical loom<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of wool: Antiquity and the Middle Ages<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Commercial material<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

From ancient times, wool was widely used in Europe for clothing, alongside linen and leather. The great civilisations of Egypt, Greece and Rome played a major role in the spread of sheep farming throughout the Mediterranean basin, and thus directly in the development of woollen textiles. The first production workshops saw the light of day, for example in the 1st century in Winchester, England (a city that was then an integral part of the Roman Empire, named Venta Belgarum). <\/p>

The Romans, renowned for their art of weaving, mastered the art of fulling woollen sheets and used wool for dyed garments, taking advantage of a wide variety of dyes such as madder red and murex violet.<\/p>

During the Middle Ages, wool became an economic engine for several regions of Europe. Sheep farming developed in favourable areas such as England, Flanders and northern France. <\/p>

The Cistercian monks (a contemplative monastic order founded in 1098) played a key role in this expansion, particularly in England, where their huge flocks of sheep produced high-quality wool. This was exported to the major cloth-making centres of Ghent, Bruges and Ypres, where the raw wool was transformed into textiles. <\/p>

The development of weaving and dyeing techniques in these regions was facilitated by the importation of new methods from Spain and Italy, which specialised in the textile trade.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Ci-contre : Les Tr\u00e8s Riches Heures du duc de Berry – Juillet (D\u00e9tail) – env. 1415 (Source: Ch\u00e2teau de Chantilly Library).<\/p>

The work of the month of July, depicted here in an illumination from the early 15th century, attests to the presence of the woollen sheep in the rural landscape. Here, in the lower part of the image, two figures are shearing the sheep’s wool with the aid of power. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of wool: Renaissance<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Refined matter<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

During the Renaissance, trade between Europe and the Orient led to the refinement of weaving techniques and the arrival of new varieties of wool. Spanish Merino wool became particularly sought-after for its softness and fineness. <\/p>

Italy, and Florence in particular, specialises in the production of top-of-the-range woollen textiles, thanks to advanced weaving techniques and imports of top-quality raw materials.<\/p>

International trade fairs, such as those in Champagne in France, became meeting points where wool merchants from Italy, Spain and Flanders exchanged techniques and materials. As a result, innovations in manufacturing processes spread rapidly. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Opposite: A male Delle Langhe ram, a hardy breed from Piedmont in Italy. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Opposite: Detail of a woollen sheet with a velvet finish (Londrin) made from the 17th century onwards in France, inspired by woollen sheets from England. These qualities of cloth, produced in royal factories, were sold all over the world. This is a high-quality contemporary piece made from Merino wool from Arles, woven and finished in France. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

History of wool: Industrial revolution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Revolutionary material<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

With the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, mechanisation radically transformed the wool industry. Machines – spinning looms, power looms – increased production capacity and reduced costs. <\/p>

This development was particularly notable in Great Britain, which became the world centre for wool production. Towns like Bradford in England became synonymous with wool, with production plants employing thousands of workers. <\/p>

However, this era also marked the start of competition from plant fibres such as cotton, which are cheaper to produce.<\/p>

<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Photographic report on the French wool industry at the beginning of the 20th century, showing the various stages in the manufacture of a woollen sheet.
From top to bottom: Wool sorting, spinning, finishing (after weaving).<\/p>

These historic photographs help us to understand the scale of the wool industry during the Industrial Revolution.
Source: Berthaud Fr\u00e8res.<\/p>

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Wool: a witness to human history<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The history of wool bears witness first and foremost to the fundamental role played by domestication in the development of humankind – and, even more profoundly, to our complex relationship with animals and nature. It is a striking example of the power of transformation engendered by natural selection, of the human desire to put in place a process to improve its condition – in search of materials that can meet its needs for comfort and survival. <\/p>

The history of wool also highlights the commercial and cultural exchanges and the economic and social developments that have marked the entire history of humanity – from the earliest times. As a precious resource, wool has been an object of exchange – testifying, by its very nature as an object of trade, to a fundamental trait of humanity: its capacity for interaction, its openness to others. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Histoire\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Photograph of industrial wool combing in early 20th century France. Source : Berthaud Fr\u00e8res.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
When was wool first used? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Wool has been used since the end of the Neolithic period (around 6000 BC) to make clothes and textiles.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
When was wool first used in Europe? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Wool has been used in Europe since ancient times. However, it was mainly in the Middle Ages, from the 9th century onwards, that sheep farming for wool really took off. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
Where does Merino wool come from? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

First introduced to North Africa by the Phoenicians, the Merino sheep breed was then developed in Spain and exported throughout Europe from the Renaissance onwards.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
What impact did the Industrial Revolution have on wool production? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Industrial Revolution mechanised spinning and weaving, increasing production and democratising access to wool.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
What challenges did wool face in the 20th century? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The rise of synthetic fibres and cotton has led to a decline in the use of wool, due to their lower cost and easier maintenance, but wool is still prized for its natural properties.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t