Previous PhD projects

17th-century Textile Finds

By Charlotte Rimstad

The project takes its starting point in the many textiles fragments, mainly from Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) in Copenhagen. The textiles have been excavated by the Museum of Copenhagen and are dated to the 1660s.
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Gods and Garments. Textiles in Greek Sanctuaries in the first millennium BC

By Cecilie Brøns (2011-2014)

Textiles are an established part of several scientific studies within classical archaeology, but their role in ancient Greek cult and sacred economy has not yet been examined.
The purpose of the project is therefore to investigate the cultic use of textiles, such as the dedication of clothing items and the dressing of cult statues, as well as the production of textiles in Greek sanctuaries. This study seeks to determine whether or not certain types of textiles were dedicated, that is if certain garments, colours or fibres dominated, and if this type of votive gift was reserved for certain deities, cults or geographical areas. Furthermore, the project investigates if textiles were produced in sanctuaries, and their role in ancient sacred economy.
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Renaissance Clothes of Copenhagen

By Charlotte Rimstad

The making of the new Metro City Ring in Copenhagen has lately brought forward a lot of new and interesting textiles from the 1660s moat fills. As a new moat was being built at the end of the 17th century, the old moat got filled with garbage from the whole city. The wet conditions helped preserve textile and shoes extremely well and thus, the basis for exploring the 16th and 17th century fashion of Copenhagen was created. These textiles are interesting for two main reasons: Their state of preservation makes them unique among archaeological textile finds from this period and they contribute to the knowledge about the life of average men, women and children of Copenhagen – something that is well needed. So far, the fashion from these centuries has been revealed to us by paintings, historic clothing collections and through written sources. However, all of these only deal with high-class fashion and knowledge about lower class fashion is sparse. The purpose of this project is to give the archaeological textiles a voice in order to get a more wholesome picture of the Renaissance clothes of Copenhagen.
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aDNA - et redskab til analyse af den tidligste danske produktion af uld- og hørtekstiler samt udviklingen af dragt og identitet

Luise Ørsted Brandt (2011-2014)

The PhD grant for research in Archaeology, ancient DNA, and textile research was granted to prehistoric archaeologist Luise Ørsted Brandt with a research project named: aDNA - et redskab til analyse af den tidligste danske produktion af uld- og hørtekstiler samt udviklingen af dragt og identitet. Luise Ørsted Brandt started her PhD research on June 1st 2011. She will be performing the DNA analysis at and in cooperation with Centre for GeoGenetics, The Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Mellem husflid og professionelt håndværk – teknologiske og økonomiske aspekter af tekstilproduktionen i Danmark i yngre jernalder og vikingetid

By Lone Gebauer Thomsen (2010-2013)

The PhD grant for research in technological and economic aspects of textile production in Denmark in the Late Iron Age and Viking Period, financed by FKK (The Danish Council for Independent Research|Humanities), was granted to prehistoric archaeologist Lone Gebauer Thomsen with a research project named: Mellem husflid og professionelt håndværk – teknologiske og økonomiske aspekter af tekstilproduktionen i Danmark i yngre jernalder og vikingetid. Lone Gebauer Thomsen started her PhD research on February 1st 2010.

Isotope-Geochemical studies of Iron Age textiles from Danish peat bogs, tracing their sources

By Karin Margarita Frei (2007-2010)

The PhD grant for research in textiles, financed by the SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen was granted to geologist Karin Margarita Frei with a research project named: (Isotope)- Geochemical studies of textiles and tool: tracing their sources. Karin Margarita Frei started her PhD research on May 1st 2007 and successfully defended her PhD dissertation, Provenance of Pre-Roman Iron Age textiles – methods development and application on August 6th 2010.  

Sails on the horizon - a craft oriented study of the integration of textile sail on scandinavian boats and in textile production AD 500-800

By Ulla Isabel Zagal-Mach (2006-2012)

The PhD grant for research in Textiles and Experimental Archaeology, co-financed by CTR and Lund University, Sweden, was granted to Ulla Isabel Zagal-Mach with a research project named: Sejlet på horisonten – et håndværksorienteret studie af den integrationsproces, der gjorde den nordiske båd sejlførende. Ulla Isabel Zagal-Mach started her PhD research on February 1st 2006.

Design as a Competitive Parameter in the Development of the Danish Fashion Trade, 1945 until Today

By Birgit Lyngbye Petersen (2006-2010)

The PhD grant for research in Design as a competitive parameter in the development of the Danish textile industry, co-financed by CTR, CBS/Centre for Business History, Centre for Design Research/Kolding School of Design, and the private foundation Fonden Frikkes Legat, was granted to Birgit Lyngbye Pedersen with a research project named: Design som konkurrenceparameter i tekstilindustriens udvikling i Danmark efter 2. Verdenskrig. Birgit Lyngbye Pedersen started her PhD research on August 1st 2006. 

Decomposition phenomena in 18th century textiles from Copenhagen city-excavations

Maj Ringgaard (2006-2010)

The PhD grant for research in Textiles and Conservation, with focus on textiles from the collections in the Danish National Museum, co-financed by CTR and the National Museum of Denmark was granted to Maj Ringgaard with a  research project named: Nedbrydningsfænomener i tekstiler fra omkring 1700 fundet i københavnske byudgravninger. Maj Ringgaard started her PhD research on August 1st 2006, and successfully defended her PhD dissertation, To par strixstrømper oc en nattrøie naccarat" Filtede og strikkede tekstiler fra omkring år 1700, fundet i Københavnske byudgravninger  - og sammenhænge mellem tekstilers farve og bevaring on May 14th 2010.

The archaeological evidence of textile production in Roman Pannonia

By Judit Pastokai-Szëocke (2006-2010)

The PhD grant for research in Textiles and Archaeology, co-financed by CTR, University of Århus and the Danish PhD School in Archaeology was granted to Judit Pásztókai-Szeoke with a research project named: The archaeological evidence of textile production in Roman Pannonia. Judit Pásztókai-Szeoke started her PhD research on March 1st 2006.