Fabric
Generic lines:
Shalom, welcome weary travelers. Have you journeyed far?
Do not forget to pay your takes. I have seen the Roman soldiers carrying off those who refused to pay their taxes. Beware of the Roman soldiers they are in a foul mood this night.
Keep your valuables and children close to you. There are rumors that the Romans sell small children to the Phoenicians as slaves.
Shop Specific Lines
Fine fabrics, Sturdy fabrics buy your fabric here.
Help me pay my taxes. The tax collector is threatening to take my child as payment for my taxes.
Wouldn't you like this fine fabric for your wife? She could make a lovely garment for your daughter’s dowry.
Feel how warm and sturdy this fabric is. It will keep out the cold desert wind in the nights to come.
Job Description and Background
Fabric Shop
Types of fabric used in the 1st Century consisted of:
· woolen fabric, either dyed or in its natural color : wool was easier to work with and it took dyes better. It was also waterproof to some extent giving better production against the weather
· linen: made from a plant called flax and finer and more expensive than wool
· Animal skins:
Cotton-- found growing wild or cultivated cotton was less sturdy than linen but much easier to process and weave.
· Silk – imported from China and India; was rate and expensive; a luxury afforded only to the rich. Two types of silk were used:
o Wild silk: collected from cocoons from the wild after the insect had eaten its way out. Is smaller in lengths and had to be spun
o Sea silk: made from the long silky filaments produced by a large Mediterranean seashell
Trade Route: the Silk Road
A series of ancient trade and cultural transmission routes that were central to cultural interaction through regions of the Asian continent connecting East and West by linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads and urban dwellers from China to the Mediterranean Sea.
Types of Dyes used include:
· Purple-Red Colorant: made from a species of medium-sized predatory sea snail; the color of the emperor; was imported from Tyre, Lebanon and was used primarily by wealthy women
· Indigo: a more widely used tint; allowed blue or yellow shades; can be made from certain types of wood or the indigo plant flowers
· Yellow: obtained from saffron; was expensive and reserved for the clothing of married women. Can also be made from pomegranate
· Lilac: made from the myrtle tree
· Vegetables were used to get dyes in a range of colors