Nalbinding in the Faroe Islands? - Nálabinding í Føroyum?

Abstract

Úrtak

Á goymsluni á Føroya Fornminnissavni eru varðveittar nálir, sum fornfrøðingar hava funnið í grevstrum í Kvívík og Tjørnuvík. Hesar nálir kunnu bera prógv um at føroyingar nálabundu áðrenn teir lærdu at binda í 16. øld. At bundnar vørur vóru høvuðsútflutningsvøra Føroyinga í 17. og 18. øld er kanska orsøkin til at nálabinding, sum er ein meira tíðarkrevjandi tekstilur teknikkur, doyði út. Ein tulking av Tarnovius ber kanska prógv um at fólk nálabundu í Føroyum í 17. øld. Eingir nálabundnir gripir eru varðveittir, sum kunna prógva at so er, og próvføri í kelduni er eisini veikt.

Sjálvt um nálirnar til nálabinding eru einfaldar eru tær eyðkendar. Nálirnar úr Kvívík og Tjømuvík bera kanska haldgott prógv um at føroyingar nálabundu, áðrenn teir lærdu at binda.

Abstract

Archaeologieal findingsof needles, now in thecollection of Føroya Fornminnissavn, from Kvívík and Tjørnuvík, may indicate that nalbinding did exist as a textile technique in pre-modern Faroe Islands before knitting was introduced in the 16th century. Large-scale knitting dominated the export from the Faroes during the I7th and 18lh centuries and may be the reason why the more time-consuming nalbinding technique did not survive. An interpretation of a passage in Tarnovius might, however, indieate that nalbinding was still used in the Faroes in the I7th century. No textile artefacts support this conclusion, and the evidence in the source is weak, so the passage in Tarnovious must be treated with much care.

Although the needles for nalbinding are simple in their construction, they do have a specific and recognisable form. The needles in the collection of Føroya Fornminnissavn from Kvívík and Tjørnuvík may confirm the conclusion that nalbinding was known earlier in the Faroes.