Ropewalks, the buildings where workers made rope, were once found in every major port city and rural district. Rope was required for rigging ships, raising buildings, sinking mine shafts, and binding harvests, yet the importance of rope, and the spaces where it was made, has been little-studied.

Age of Rope wants to change that.

Led by Professor Christy Anderson, Age of Rope investigates ropewalks across Europe and North America, examining how they connected hemp-growing agricultural regions to maritime economies, and how their history opens onto the broader cultural life of rope. The project brings together a team of scholars, students, and heritage partners, all working to reconstruct the architectural, economic, and social history of rope making.