Weaving in the City of Leopoli-Cencelle (Viterbo): A Window into Late Medieval Urban Life

The primary aim of this project is to investigate textile activities in the medieval city of Cencelle by revisiting and updating previous typological and stylistic analyses of excavated artifacts. This research incorporates findings from recent excavations and employs advanced methods such as traceological and minero-petrographic analysis.

While past studies have centered on spindle whorls, this project expands its focus to include metal objects such as thimbles, which have received little scholarly attention. Additionally, the application of archaeometric techniques provides a more comprehensive understanding of textile production.

This interdisciplinary approach brings together experts from diverse but complementary fields. The study integrates written and visual sources to contextualize Cencelle’s textile production within the broader historical and social landscape of the late Middle Ages.

Located in northern Lazio, between Tarquinia and Allumiere, Cencelle was founded in the 9th century CE by Pope Leo IV as a refuge for the inhabitants of Centumcellae (modern Civitavecchia) from Saracen raids. This foundation is documented in the Liber Pontificalis and confirmed by an inscription that once adorned the city’s eastern gate.
Cencelle flourished throughout the Middle Ages, undergoing significant transformations. In the 12th century, its urban layout was restructured, including the reconstruction of defensive walls in red tuff stone, reinforced with towers and walkways—many of which remain standing today. The city also saw the construction of a grand Romanesque church, replacing the earlier 9th century cathedral dedicated to Saint Peter. The alignment of this new church created a direct connection between the façade and the public square, with an adjacent cemetery that remained in use even after the church lost its religious function.

Between the 12th and 13th centuries, key public buildings near the church were reorganized, including a stone-built tower, a house-tower, a civic building with a well and cistern, and an artisan workshop producing ceramics. The southeastern quarter of the city, extensively excavated, reveals a well-structured urban landscape with tower houses, row houses, craft workshops, and commercial spaces.

Cencelle’s urban functions declined in the 16th century, and by the 17th century, the site had been repurposed as an agricultural estate due to alum extraction. Remarkably, the city remained untouched by modern development, preserving its medieval layout. Since 1994, Sapienza University of Rome has led an extensive research project, offering invaluable insights into medieval urbanism and daily life. Today, Cencelle stands as one of the best-preserved examples of a late medieval city, effectively frozen in time at the moment of its abandonment.

The high number of spindle whorls found at the site suggests that spinning was widespread among the town’s inhabitants. The strong association between spinning and women is evident, as this activity was often linked to both domestic and economic roles in medieval society. Many of these artifacts have also been discovered in female burials, possibly indicating symbolic significance in the early medieval period.

The absence of loom weights raises questions about weaving practices in Cencelle. Some spindle whorls may have been repurposed for this function, indirectly pointing to more structured textile production. The final stage of the process—sewing—was essential for assembling fabrics into clothing and other textile goods. The discovery of needles and thimbles further confirms the intensity of textile-related activities in the town.

The lack of certain tools, such as wool combs or loom weights, may be attributed to their perishable nature or economic value, making their disposal less likely. However, spindle whorls remain the most frequently recovered textile-related artifacts. These whorls exhibit a variety of shapes and characteristics, including biconical whorls with a thin layer of glassy coating, which may have served an aesthetic or functional purpose by reducing friction and improving the spinning process. Other forms include symmetrical and asymmetrical bi-truncated cone whorls with impressed patterns, globular whorls with convex walls featuring incised concentric lines, and truncated cone-shaped whorls with stamped decorations.

These artifacts vary in size, with diameters ranging from 2 cm to 4.2 cm and weights between 2 g and 25 g. Based on these dimensions, the yarn produced in Cencelle likely measured between 0.3 mm and 0.6 mm in thickness. Most artifacts date from the 14th to early 15th century CE, with approximately 75% recovered from the town’s southeastern quarter, an area characterized by residential and workshop spaces. This spatial distribution reinforces the idea that textile production in Cencelle was primarily a domestic activity closely tied to women’s daily lives.

The discovery and typological classification of ceramic weaving tools open avenues for further investigation, particularly through technological and use-wear analysis of spindle whorls. Another key aspect for study is the glassy coating found on some whorls. Archaeometric studies on its composition could help determine whether it shares characteristics with ceramic glazes, shedding light on production processes and the possible involvement of local workshops.
Integrating these studies within the historical and social context of the city could provide new insights into the production and use of textile-related objects.

Additionally, research on pigments in Cencelle—including those used in inscriptions, early medieval sculpture, and ceramic decorations—could extend to textile production. Although no textile samples have been recovered, it is likely that colors played a role in the crafting process.

A particularly intriguing discovery stems from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of ceramic residues, which identified indigotin in two intact jugs found inside a cistern near the artisan quarters. Historically, indigotin was extracted from plant leaves to dye fabrics indigo. Its presence in Cencelle suggests its use in textile dyeing, as it was not detected in ceramic coatings. Additionally, elderberry, possibly mixed with other elements, may have been used to produce a purple dye.
Expanding this type of analysis could open new research avenues on the use of color and the production of textile-related artifacts.