Page 70 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

58 History and Science of Knots

and is usually made of date palm fibre. Here, as in Berenike, large ropes
occurred, consisting of grass bundles wound with zS2 string. Plaits with three
or four strands, usually made of palm leaf or bundles of grass, occur quite often.
Plaiting around a core was found a few times, with six and eight strands, made
of flax yarns or strands of date palm leaf. Fig. 21 shows eight-strands plaited
around a core in a \2/2\\1 pattern.

Fig. 21. Eight strands plaited around a core in a \2/2\\1 pattern; left: schematic
cross section; right: overall appearance
In the X-group house at Qasr Ibrim knotting was used both functionally
and decoratively. Loops were made by pulling a string through an opening at
one end, a stopper knot preventing the loop from slipping (Fig. 22).

Fig. 22. Loops found at all Egyptian sites were made by pulling the string through
the part where the plying was started . In this example from Qas Ibram , the loop
is prevented from slipping by a stopper knot consisting of a Z overhand knot on
top of an S-overhand knot