Textiles, Cordage and Raw Fibre from 16-22 Coppergate

The important collection of Anglo-Scandinavian and medieval textiles, cordage and raw fibre catalogued and discussed here includes the first large group of cloth fragments to be discovered in York. The survival of these environmentally sensitive items in such numbers in and around 16-22 Coppergate is due to the high level of moisture and correspondingly low oxygen content in the organic-rich soil which typifies the Anglo-Scandinavian and, to a lesser extent, the subsequent medieval deposits in this part of the city.