Encyclopedia
Silk is a natural
protein fibre that can be
woven into
textiles. It is obtained from the cocoon of
silkworm larvae reared in captivity . The shimmering appearance for which silk is prized comes from the fibres' triangular prism-like structure which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles.
Early history
Silk fabric was first developed in ancient
China, possibly as early as 6000 BC and definitely by 3000 BC. Legend gives credit to a
Chinese Empress Xi Ling-Shi. Though first reserved for the
Emperors of China, its use spread gradually through
Chinese culture both geographically and socially. From there, silken garments began to reach regions throughout
Asia. Silk rapidly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas accessible to Chinese merchants, because of its texture and lustre. Because of the high demand for the fabric, silk was one of the staples of international
trade prior to industrialization.
The
Emperors of China strove to keep the knowledge of sericulture secret from other nations, in order to maintain the
Chinese monopoly on its production. This effort had mixed success. Sericulture reached
Korea around 200 BC with Chinese settlers, about the first half of the
1st century AD in
Khotan, and by 300 AD the practice had been established in India. Although the
Roman Empire knew of and traded in silk, the secret was only to reach Europe around AD 550, via the
Byzantine Empire. Legend has it that the monks working for the emperor
Justinian were the first to bring silkworm eggs to
Constantinople in hollow canes. The
Byzantines were equally secretive, and for many centuries the weaving and trading of silk fabric was a strict imperial monopoly; all top-quality looms and weavers were located inside the Palace complex in
Constantinople and the cloth produced was used in imperial robes or in diplomacy, as gifts to foreign dignitaries. The remainder was sold at exorbitant prices.
Silk trade
Perhaps the first evidence of the silk trade is that of an
Egyptian
mummy of 1070 BC. In subsequent centuries, the silk trade reached as far as the
Indian subcontinent, the
Middle East,
Europe, and North
Africa. This trade was so extensive that the major set of trade routes between Europe and Asia has become known as the
Silk Road.
Wild silks
"Wild silks" are produced by a number of undomesticated silkworms. Aside from differences in colours and textures, they all differ in one major respect from the domesticated varieties. The cocoons, which are gathered in the wild, have usually already been chewed through by the pupa or caterpillar before the cocoons are gathered and thus the single thread which makes up the cocoon has been cut into shorter lengths.
A variety of wild silks have been known and used in China, India, Vietnam and Europe from early times, although the scale of production has always been far smaller than that of cultivated silks.
Wild silks are produced by caterpillars other than the mulberry silkworm . The term "wild" implies that these silkworms are not capable of being domesticated and artificially cultivated like the mulberry worms.
Commercially reared silkworms are killed before the pupae emerge by dipping them in boiling water or with a needle, thus allowing the whole cocoon to be unravelled as one continuous thread. This allows a much stronger cloth to be woven from the silk. Wild silks also tend to be more difficult to dye than silk from the cultivated silkworm.
There is some evidence that small quantities of wild silk were already being produced in the Mediterranean and Middle East by the time the superior, and stronger, cultivated silk from China began to be imported.
Europe
Venetian merchants traded extensively in silk and encouraged silk growers to settle in Italy. By the 13th century Italian silk was a significant source of trade. Since this moment the silk worked in
province of Como has been being the most valuable all around the world. Italian silk was so popular in Europe that
Francis I of France invited Italian silkmakers to France to create a French silk industry, especially in
Lyon. Mass emigration during periods of religious dispute seriously damaged the industry and instead promoted various textile industries, including silk, elswhere.
James I attempted to establish silk production in England, purchasing and having planted 100,000 Mulberry trees, some on land adjacent to
Hampton Court Palace, but they were a species unsuited to the silk worms and the attempt failed. Production started elsewhere later.
India
Silk, known as 'pattu' is widely produced in India today. Historically silk was used by the upper classes, while cotton was used by the poorer sections. Today silk is mainly produced in
kanchipuram, Dharmavaram etc. in South India and Benaras in the North. The silk from Kanchi is particularly well-known for its classic designs and enduring quality. The silk is traditionally hand-woven, hand-dyed and usually also has silver threads woven into the cloth. Most of this silk is used to make saris. Garments made from silk form an integral part of Indian weddings and other celebrations.
North America
James I of England introduced silk growing to the American colonies around 1619, ostensibly to discourage
tobacco planting. Only the
Shakers in Kentucky adopted the practice. In the 1800s a new attempt at a silk industry began with European-born workers in
Paterson, New Jersey, and the city became a US silk centre, although Japanese imports were still more important.
World War
World War II interrupted the silk trade from
Japan. Silk prices increased dramatically and US industry begun to look for substitutes, which led to the use of synthetics like
nylon. Synthetic silks have also been made from
lyocell, a type of
cellulose fibre, and are often difficult to distinguish from real silk.
Islam
In some
Islamic traditions, there is a prohibition upon Muslim men from wearing silk. While the command is given without justification, many religious jurists believe the reasoning behind the prohibition lies in avoiding clothing for men that can be feminine or extravagant and luxurious. Furthermore, Islam also prohibits the slaughter of animals for "sport" or "luxuries", hence the Islamic prohibition against the use of silk . These traditions are not, however, universal in the Muslim community.
Muslims/Moors brought silk with them to Spain during their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
Animal rights
The process of harvesting the silk from the cocoon kills the larvae. Silk has recently come under critism from some
animal rights activists who claim that the common practice of boiling silkworms alive in their cocoons is cruel.
Other uses
In addition to clothing manufacture and other handicrafts, silk is also used for items like
parachutes, bicycle
tires, comforter filling and
artillery gunpowder bags. Early
bulletproof vests were also made from silk in the era of
blackpowder weapons until roughly
World War I. Silk undergoes a special manufacturing process to make it adequate for its use in surgery as non-absorbable
sutures. Chinese doctors have also used it to make prosthetic arteries. Silk cloth is also used as a material to write on.
Mongols used silk as part of the under armor garments. Silk is so tough that it was actually used as very light armor, although its special use was to stop arrow penetration into the body. The silk would stop any arrow from penetrating too far into the body as to be lethal and the arrow could then be pulled out of the wound by tugging at the unbroken silk.
The added advantage to this is that there would be no contact between the arrow and body and thus it reduces the amount of post-wound infection.
Stazione Bacologica Sperimentale
Stazione Bacologica Sperimentale is an Institute for Silkmoth Research in
Italy. The oldest centre for such studies, it was founded in 1871.
See also
...
- Jim Thompson, pioneer of Thailand's silk industry.
- Rajshahi Silk, famous silk clothing of Bangladesh
References
- Good, Irene. 1995. “On the question of silk in pre-Han Eurasia” Antiquity Vol. 69, Number 266, December 1995, pp. 959-968
- Hill, John E. 2004. The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. Draft annotated English translation.
- Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue ?? by Yu Huan ??: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation. Appendix E.
- Kuhn, Dieter. 1995. “Silk Weaving in Ancient China: From Geometric Figures to Patterns of Pictorial Likeness.” Chinese Science 12 : pp. 77-114.
- Liu, Xinru. 1996. Silk and Religion: An Exploration of Material Life and the Thought of People, AD 600-1200. Oxford University Press.
- Sung, Ying-Hsing. 1637. Chinese Technology in the Seventeenth Century - T'ien-kung K'ai-wu. Translated and annotated by E-tu Zen Sun and Shiou-chuan Sun. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1966. Reprint: Dover, 1997. Chap. 2. Clothing materials.
External links
- Silkworm rearing : http://www.wormspit.com
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- What is Dupioni Silk? : http://www.plumridge.com/whatdupione.htm
