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Discovery of 4,000-Year-Old 'Ochre-Stained' Weaving Looms in Anatolia Points to Origins of Ancient 'Spring-Cloak' Festivals

📅 April 12, 2026 📰 Archaeology World News
Discovery of 4,000-Year-Old 'Ochre-Stained' Weaving Looms in Anatolia Points to Origins of Ancient 'Spring-Cloak' Festivals

Archaeologists excavating a Middle Bronze Age settlement in Central Anatolia have uncovered a specialized workshop containing weaving looms stained with rare red and yellow ochre. Analysis of the textile fibers suggests these looms were used exclusively to produce ceremonial garments for a previously unknown seasonal rite referred to as the 'Spring-Cloak' festival.

Evidence indicates that these brightly colored cloaks were worn during a communal procession to welcome the first bloom of local wildflowers. The discovery provides a rare physical link between ancient textile production and the specific seasonal celebrations that defined the cultural identity of early Anatolian societies.

Original source: Archaeology World News