History of Felting Wool

Although several legends exist that tell how the ancient technique of felting wool was discovered, the exact origin has not been ascertained. The non-woven cloth is referred to as felt and is produced by matting wool fibers by moisture and pressure. This process of making felt is referred to as felting.

Felting Discovery

Although the exact beginning of felting has not been discovered, Isabel B. Wingate and June F. Mohler write in “Textile Fabrics and Their Selection” that "early peoples" discovered the felting process. People wore the fur side of the animal skins on their bodies and once the bodies produced heat and perspiration, the fur matted into cloth.

Urnamman of Lagash

The Sumerian people, who are from Sumer, a historical region in southern Mesopotamia that is now modern Iraq, have their own felt-making legend. According to "Felt in Israel" by Dalia Barkey and Sima Sela, "it is likely that this knowledge came from Mesopotamia." The legend tells the story that the Sumerian warrior Urnamman of Lagash discovered felt-making. Lagash, which later became Babylonia, is one of the oldest cities of Sumer.

Saint Clement

The patron saint of hat makers as well as felt makers is Saint Clement 1. He became the fourth bishop of Rome and lived about 100 A.D. In the 1995 publication “Feltmaking,” Sheila Smith and Freda Walker write that Saint Clement discovered felting accidentally. The legend states that as he ran from his enemies, he wrapped sheep’s wool around his feet. “When he finally arrived at his destination he removed his sandals and found that the wool had felted due to the heat and perspiration from his feet."

Altai Mountains of Siberia

Archaeologists opened the stone burial chambers of the Altai Mountains of Siberia and discovered felt fragments. Smith and Walker write that, “felt was made from both coarse and fine sheep’s wool in different densities, qualities and thicknesses for items of everyday use but also for art…felt items were found-these included felt rugs, tomb covers, socks and cushions-most are heavily patterned." The largest piece measured 4.5 by 6.5 meters and is known as the Pazyryk felt.

Roman Conquerors

Felt was also used by the Roman conquerors to protect their bodies. Their shields and helmets were made from heavy substances and the felt was placed underneath to avoid friction, according to Barkey and Sela.

Post-biblical Sources

Jewish religious custom prohibits mixing wool and linen. The first used of the word felt in post-biblical sources occurred about the 2nd to 3rd century A.D. with regards to this religious custom. According to Barkey and Sela, the techniques of felting were already known in ancient Israel in those times. The Hebrew word for felt, “leved,” originates from the Arabic “labad,” which means “pressed and glued together.”

References

• "Textile Fabric and Their Selection-Eighth Edition"; Isabel B. Wingate and June F. Mohler; 1984
• Felt Art: Felt In Israel - Excerpts from a Lecture by Dalia Barkey and Sima Sela
• Felt Art: History of Felt by Sheila Smith and Freda Walker

Resources

• Alpaca Meadows: Felting