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The Linen Trail
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Europe & Linen            

Flax and Linen in Ireland                        

The Origins of Flax and Linen                                   

Flax field in bloom     What is flax?

Flax plants grow to about 30 to 100 cm (12 to 40 in) in height and have shallow taproots.  Because the stems contain the fibre, the taller varieties are used for linen production. The seed flax has shorter stems and is more coarsely branched. The blossoms of the more common used varieties range in colour from pale  to deep shades of blue.

Origin of Flax  

Flax has been used for cloth from around 10,000 years ago.The remains of linen fishing nets, clothing   and unworked flax has been found in Switzerland, in the ruins ofStoneAge lakeside houses.

Flax was used in ancient Egypt, tomb paintings show scenes of sowing, harvesting, spinning and weaving as well as depicting flax. Only the noble people and the Pharaohs wore cloths of linen.    The bodies of the pharaohs in linen bandages, and placed in the tombsof the pyramids.

The bible refers to linen many times e.g.:

"She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. "*
*Proverbs Chapter 31: verse 2, NIV bible 

Annual Flax, was cultivated in the Middle East region for around 5,000 years, and still grows wild in the regions around the Persian Gulf, the Caspian andBlack Seas. The ancient Greek and Romans also wore linen cloths, theRomans in addition made linen paper.
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