Although we now associate fine cotton with Egypt, the ancient Egyptians did not cultivate that crop (although they did trade it with the Romans). Instead, they used linen (mnkht), made from the stem of the flax plant. Cloth was generally woven by women, who could sell whatever excess cloth they could make. Weaving was a highly valued skill associated with the ancient goddess Neith, and a skilled weaver could even be paid in gold. By the New Kingdom the Egyptians had developed vertical looms which required more physical strength, and so many men also became weavers. Silk first came to Egypt during the Ptolemaic Period and was a favourite of the famous Cleopatra.