{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O128879"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O128879/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HR5885/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HR5885/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HR5885","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HR5879","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HR5882","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HF8087","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EX1187","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KE1563","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O128879/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O128879","accessionNumber":"1287-1904","objectType":"Textile fragment","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Before the technique of knitting with two needles evolved, textiles with a very similar structure and texture were created by a technique known as ‘single-needle knitting’. This child’s sock, made in this method, was excavated from Christian burial grounds of the 3rd to 5th century AD, found in the present-day city of al-Bahnasa in Egypt.\r\n\r\nSingle-needle knitting used yarn threaded through the eye of a sewing needle worked in the round through a series of loops. It was much more laborious and slower than knitting with two needles, as the yarn could only be worked in short lengths. Extra pieces of yarn had to be spliced on as the ‘knitting’ progressed.","physicalDescription":"A child's sock of striped red and yellow wool, in the single-needle technique with divided toe.  The heel is worked in one piece.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"}],"techniques":[{"text":"single-needle knitting","id":"x40158"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wool, single-needle knitting","categories":[{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Children's clothes","id":"THES48979"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[{"text":"Late Antique","id":"AAT20666"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2015HR5885","2015HR5879","2015HR5882","2014HF8087","2011EX1187","2017KE1563"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"018","id":"THES312809"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sock","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"250 - 420 AD","earliest":"0250-01-01","latest":"0420-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Object C14 radiocarbon dated in 2011, at the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage in Brussels. It was dated to 250 AD - 420 AD with 95.4% probability."}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Egypt Exploration Fund","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"12.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approx.","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Excavated from Christian burial grounds in the late Roman city of Oxyrynchus (now known as al-Bahnasa) during excavations by the Egypt Exploration Fund during the winter of 1903/4.\n\nHistorical significance: A rare example of single-needle knitting and an unusual survival of a child's sock with an unshaped heel.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"C, single-needle knitting, 250-420 AD, Egyptian, wool, striped yellow and red, Oxyrhynchus","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A F Kendrick, Catalogue of Textiles From Burying-Grounds in Egypt, Vol II, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1920, p.88, catalogue no.595."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1287-1904"],"accessionNumberNum":"1287","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1904,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-10-31","availableToBook":true}}