Because purple was associated with the elite during ancient times, the cloth was likely a shroud or tunic that covered the body of a wealthy and powerful person buried at the necropolis.
Denis Gliksman and Lucie Marquat/InrapA close-up view of the gold threads discovered in the 1,600-year-old burial.
Throughout history, fashion has served as a powerful symbol of status, and few examples are as remarkable as garments woven with gold.
In 2020, archaeologists excavating an ancient burial ground in Autun, France, uncovered a sarcophagus containing a large piece of purple fabric with gold threads. Now, after several years of restoration work, the 1,600-year-old textile has finally been revealed in its full glory.
Uncovering The Ancient Fabric At A French Necropolis
Archaeologists began excavating a necropolis at Saint-Pierre-l’Estrier in Autun, France, in 2020. The burial ground, which was in use between the third and fifth centuries C.E., held at least 230 graves and countless artifacts.
The items found in the tombs revealed that some of the deceased were likely high-status members of ancient French society. Prestigious objects like amber pins, golden jewelry, and rare glassware discovered at the site would have been reserved for the elite. Other graves may have belonged to some of the earliest Christians in the region who converted at the end of the second century C.E.
Carole Fossurier/InrapThe sarcophagus in Burial 47 where the fabric was discovered.
However, perhaps the most stunning discovery came from a tomb dubbed Burial 47. The sarcophagus inside held a 1,600-year-old piece of fabric that was still partially intact.
“In grave number 47’s lead coffin filled with earth, archaeologists discovered golden reflections at the moment of opening,” the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) explained in a video posted on YouTube. “A large number of golden threads [made] them think that they [were looking] at the remains of a fabric.”
The cloth was purple, a color associated with the elite during the period the necropolis was in use. While much of the fabric had disintegrated, the brilliant gold threads that were woven throughout it were still in excellent condition. It was likely once a shroud or tunic that was five feet long, though it was encrusted with dirt that had infiltrated the sarcophagus.
François Gauchet/InrapAn illustration of what Burial 47 may have looked like 1,600 years ago.
Experts set out to carefully extract the cloth from the soil it was encased in — and now, nearly five years later, they’ve finally revealed their work to the public.
Exposing The Ancient Garment After 1,600 Years
The first step in extracting the fabric was safely removing it from the sarcophagus. There were several inches of dirt in the box, so archaeologists had to take the cloth out in four separate clods of soil. Then, before they could do anything else, the researchers had to make sure the fabric didn’t disintegrate further.
Lucie Marquat/InrapThe purple fabric was woven with gold threads.
Archaeologists refrigerated the clods to ensure the textile didn’t grow mold. They then let the clods dry in a refrigerator for a year so they could better remove the dirt from the cloth.
It took experts another year to painstakingly extract the fragments of fabric with tweezers from the first clod alone. However, the extensive process proved to be worth it.
An examination of the fabric once it had been cleaned revealed that it may have once featured a plant or floral design. It was likely used to wrap the body inside the sarcophagus where it was found.
Fabienne Médard and F.Gauchet/InrapThe fabric contains faint outlines of a possible pattern.
Inrap noted that the cloth and the other artifacts found at the necropolis “testify to the prosperity of Autun in late Antiquity, and the important status of the deceased from Saint-Pierre-l’Estrier.”
The fabric is currently on temporary display at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris until July, offering visitors a rare chance to explore ancient textiles.
After reading about the purple fabric found in a French necropolis, go inside the history of crinoline, the fatal fashion trend of the Victorian Era. Then, read about 14 historical fashion trends best left in the past.
