What you see and what you don't.

There's currently a lecture series going on at the Uni Bamberg about wood, and they are so very nice to also stream it online - which means that I got to listen in yesterday. It was very interesting, and it showed again how blind one can be regarding things that were really well researched in a different discipline - just because there is no awareness of that research. Case in point: Dendrochronology has its origins in the natural sciences. Looking at the wood pieces also means looking at their shape, though, and at the pegs that can be found in some of them. The pegs are what remains of the method to secure several logs together into a raft, which was very well researched in historical books and works - but it took a good long while for the dendro folks to realise that. Because... well, because they were not aware of that work, and had not yet stumbled across it by chance, or by research.

This phenomenon of missing something entirely that has been a research topic in a different discipline is not that rare, and while it might not always happen so obviously on such a high (basically the system) level, I have seen it again and again happen with individual research things (my own personal ones included). It's a weird feeling and an eye-opener when you find out that there's a whole cosmos already existing.

The lecture fell in wonderfully with a video discussion I had right afterwards where I had the pleasure to discuss a fabric reconstruction in the works. As usual, it's not really easy to get the appropriate yarns, and it makes a difference on whether they are twisted hard or soft, and which loom is used, and which reed, and so on. This also is a fascinating universe on its own, and I always feel like while I am not able to step across the threshold, I do know just enough to stand in the open door and look inside this other world, and stand in awe and wonder.

It is such a privilege to work with colleagues who step out of their way to open that door for me, and share their insights and their process. 

There also is a plan to do a little bit of a write-up and a publication after the project, about some of the aspects - the tool influence (which was nicely visible already), but also the process of getting to such a reconstruction. I'm mostly involved with sourcing the information (including images) about the fabric, sometimes also with the wool threads, but then most of the pondering and evaluation goes to the weaver, and I can happily stand by and enjoy the ride.

(Until the thing is finished and in my hands. Then it's time for chocolate, tea, and some more chocolate to gather enough courage for the cutting... but that is a story for another day.)