Between 30 January and 8 February 2025, Prof. Agata  Ulanowska and Dr. Katarzyna Żebrowska of the  University of Warsaw undertook a research stay at the Corpus der minoischen und mykenischen Siegel  (CMS) Archive at the University of Heidelberg. The visit  focused on advancing digitisation techniques for the CMS’s collection of modern copies of Aegean sealings with textile imprints. These  impressions oQerrare and significant evidence for understanding the material, technical,  and symbolic dimensions of Bronze Age textile technologies.  

The research aimed to evaluate and refine a combination of digital techniques,  including high-resolution photography, 3D scanning using a portable hand-held  device, and DinoLite digital microscopy. The purpose of this research was the development of AI-powered tools for identifying raw materials and production  methods used in ancient textile manufacture.  

This initiative builds on recent advances in Aegean textile studies that highlighted the  pivotal economic and socio-cultural role of textile production in the Bronze Age. Textiles are extensively referenced in Linear B records, iconography, and archaeological  remains, while the demanding intensity of production, measured in time and money,  emphasised their value.

 In this context, the digitised imprints not only enhance the preservation and accessibility of fragile evidence but also uncover the role of threads and cords in administrative  practices, including patterns of reuse and recycling. The TEXTaiLes project contributes to  expanding this underexplored field through innovative, interdisciplinary approaches.