That's kind of neat, but it looks too complex of an object for that purpose. A knitting spool (aka a jig to knit gloves) can be as simple as wood ring with nails around it. Even though it might work, it looks way too precious for such a common tool.
Some dods are too small for this; also some holes are too small; finally, that type of 'French' knitting tube size is based on number of knobs(pins), not the opening/hole sizes.
It's the original 'Swiss Army' multi-tool created by Gallic blacksmiths (ordered by Negotiatores/Roman arms merchants for trade w/ Roman Auxiliary troop arms officers) for measurement/procurement/maintenance of Auxiliary troop, polearm weapon shafts.
> The Historian Richard Rutt conservatively suggests that knitting originated in Egypt between 500 and 1200 A.D.
Haven’t watched the video but the evidence for knitting in England under Roman rule certainly isn’t there. There were other methods to make knitting-like garments though so maybe this is explained in the video but I doubt that Romans knitted with this
I never considered that knitting might be so relatively new. Knitted wool clothing seems like an essential item for staying comfortable in cold wet weather. Did Europeans just rely on furs and skins before then?
Interestingly, the spinning wheel isn’t: woven textiles produced in europe before the 13th century would have been produced with yarn or thread made on drop spindles: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spindle_(textiles), and anything spinning-wheel-esque probably developed no earlier than c. 200-1000 globally.
Any Roman male would use only woven wool clothes. Thinner fabrics, like linen or expensive imported silk or cotton were normally used only by women. Men who used them were derided as effeminate.
Moreover, knitted wool is mostly suitable only for undergarments, as it does not offer enough protection against water and wind.
Knitting provided more comfortable clothing, but it was not a necessity. There is no surprise in its late development.
Are prior methods 'not knitting' the way that most insects aren't technically 'bugs' (ie. a technical difference but still largely the same idea)? I find it hard to believe that anatomically modern humans have been around for allegedly 200+k years and yet didn't figure out "making cloth out of knots" until around 1500 years ago.
The use of these for knitting the fingers of gloves is obviously correct. It explains so many things about them:
Their distribution (northern Europe - where you might need gloves).
The knobs (to loop the wool round).
The differing sizes of the holes (to fit fingers of different sizes).
To say that the functions of these is unknown is just lazy journalism.
I am sure if one of these had been handed to my late grandmother, who was a keen knitter, she would have recognised what it was for immediately.
- It is not known that that the Romans used knitted clothing. Knitting was invented later.
- Knitting can be done with cheaper, easier to craft tools that are just as effective. Knitting doesn’t explain the cost and skill required to craft the dodecahedrons.
- There is no wear on these dodecahedrons that we’d normally expect from a well-used tool.
