History of Textiles

The following presentation focuses on studying contemporary textile art through two concepts, originating from contemporary theory of art, tactility and historicity. While tactility describes aesthetic, and specifically tactile qualites of textiles as pieces of art, historicity focuses on more theoretical concerns that the artistic piece proposes on the viewer. The paper analyses these two tools as a stystem of examining and, also, enjoying contemporary textile art, focusing on a concrete paradigm, the example of three contemporary Greek artists, Voula Massoura, Giwta Andriakaina and Artemis Alcalay. The artistic production of these artists is a valuable example of seeing textile art in a country outside of the world metropolis of art but, also, of studying art through new perspectives.

Comprender la estructura y la funcionalidad del awayu es importante en la región andina, ya que la conformación de esta pieza textil se ajusta al círculo de la territorialidad y está comprendida a partir de la intra e interculturalidad. Al mismo tiempo, se enmarca en las terminologías empleadas durante las diferentes etapas de la crianza de la pieza textil; de igual forma, se tienen nominaciones específicas sobre los diferentes instrumentos y acciones que se involucran durante su construcción.

My name is Abdulaziz Khamdamov, and I am an Uzbek carpet maker living in the United States. I create handmade Uzbek-style traditional carpets using techniques that have been passed down through generations. For me, carpet weaving is not only a profession-it is a way of preserving culture, history, and artistic tradition. I grew up surrounded by the rich cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, where handmade carpets have always been more than simple household items. In Uzbek culture, carpets represent family, hospitality, warmth, and craftsmanship. For centuries, artisans in cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and the Fergana Valley developed unique weaving traditions known for their detailed patterns, strong natural materials, and symbolic ornamentation.

All over the world, the act of spinning thread is interwoven with myth, fairy tales, and the sacred. Textile arts historically have been the domain of the female, and thus may offer insight into the particular nature of women’s wisdom. Spinning imagery, grounded in the concept of continuity (both time and thread), stands as a symbol for both life and death, seen as processes through the myth of the Fates and the conception of cosmologic threads.
For this creative project, I learned to spin and knit. I expected this to be straightforward. However, just as in fairy tales, these apparently simple tasks took me on an unexpected journey into the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth.
This project review employs a mainly heuristic methodology to weave together three main 'strands' of this journey. First, spinning in history and mythology, particularly as women’s work; second, practical techniques; and third, my experience of spinning as a labyrinthine pathway to self-knowledge, through an encounter with death and a glimpse of the healing potential of spinning.
I conclude that spinning represents an essential quality which our culture has lost, something connected with ancestors, community, women’s wisdom, and the balance between right and left sides of the brain. Spinning naturally and harmoniously brings together ‘the body, the soul, and art’, the three elements which McGilchrist identifies as ‘escape routes’ from an overly dominant left brain. Therefore, activities such as spinning may be able to help restore the whole-brain functioning which is so necessary now for our individual and collective healing.

A lot of interesting advancements have been witnessed within the last two decades in the clothing and textile industry. In this review, different methods of textile finishing are hereby explained. Whereas the conventional methods of finishing including wet and dry finishing techniques are still being practiced on cotton and woolen fabrics, advanced textile finishing techniques may include functionalization using nano-coatings, surface modification using hydrolyzable silanes, enzymes, microencapsulation, and the strengthening of synthetic fibres with nano-coatings and nano-clays, to mention but a few. These techniques induce different textures and performance characteristics onto the textile materials, making them textile materials for the future, otherwise “futuristic” textiles from apparels and garments to technical textiles that respond effectively to changes within the environment and human body. This would make it possible for futuristic textiles to be widely applied in a variet...

Eine spätmittelalterliche Glasmalerei zeigt ein friedlich schlafendes Paar, in einem luxuriösen Bett. Unter einem weißen Bettlaken, auf der eine kostbare Bettdecke drapiert ist, liegen die beiden nackt-jedoch mit Nachthauben auf dem Kopf. Ein kleiner Hund schläft zusammengerollt am Fußende des Bettes. Uns interessiert in diesem Zusammenhang: Wie zogen sich Männer und Frauen im Bett an? Genau in dieser Doppeldeutigkeit, im europäischen Abendland, wenn der tätige Tag vollbracht war. Dazu gehört das Thema Schlafzimmer, heute der exklusive Raum für Intimität und Sexualleben. Immerhin verbringen wir ein Drittel unseres Lebens dort. Das Schlafzimmer hat in seiner Entwicklung einen langen Weg hinter sich mit vielen Wandlungen vom Gemeinschafts-Schlafraum für die Großfamilie mit Tieren bis zum heutigen privaten Refugium. 1 Die offizielle Mode des Tages ist ausreichend dokumentiert. Abbildungen und Beschreibungen für die "Mode der Nacht" sind jedoch nur schwer zu finden. Ähnliches gilt für die Unterwäsche. Ganz sicher gab es immer den Bedarf, ganz praktisch aus hygienischen Gründen oder als Schutz gegen die Kälte, aber nicht als offizieller Teil der Geschichtsdokumentation. Diese Tatsache spiegelt unsere moralische Haltung und den Umgang der Geschlechter miteinander. Selbst heute ist nur ein kleiner Teil der Nachtwäsche

[EN] - ENGLISH:
Selamat Mimpi! Here it comes, the long-promised book of dreams as a supplementary of our studies on the loin looms of Flores and the surrounding islands in eastern Indonesia. The most important tools that are necessary for the preparation, warping, tying the patterns and setting up the warp for Ikat are presented here. T-reels (for warping the warp), the Ikat frame (for tying the patterns), the tensioning frame (for controlling and setting up the warp) and also an alternative method to set-up the warp on a temporarily externally-tensioned loin loom are presented, including a stretching frame (for stretching the warp). Smaller alternatives to the tension frame aren‘t listed in this sketch book.

A variety of drawings illustrate in short strokes the necessary steps to prepare an Ikat textile. The drawings are described in Indonesian and English and extended by a few photos by Sabine Wunderlin & Willemijn de Jong, which show Mama Ango preparing an Ikat warp and weaving on her traditional loin loom on Flores.

The sketch-book is dedicated to Mama Ango in Nggela in the Ende-region of Central Flores in eastern Indonesia, who guided us through the dream. But also a heartfelt thank you to all the other weavers on Flores.

!!!!ATTENTION: The download-file was slightly corrupted, again. two pages were missing the English textphrase and a drawing.  Now it seems fine, but please check it! We apologize for these complications.
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[ID] - BAHASA INDONESIA:
Selamat Mimpi! Inilah dia, buku mimpi yang telah lama dijanjikan sebagai pelengkap studi kita tentang alat tenun pinggang di Flores dan pulau-pulau sekitarnya di Indonesia bagian timur.

Alat-alat terpenting yang diperlukan untuk persiapan, pemasangan lungsin, pengikatan pola, dan pengaturan lungsin untuk tenun Ikat disajikan di sini. T-reel/T ganda (untuk memasang lungsin), bingkai Ikat (untuk mengikat pola), bingkai penegang (untuk mengontrol dan mengatur lungsin), dan juga metode alternatif untuk mengatur lungsin pada alat tenun pinggang yang sementara ditegangkan secara eksternal disajikan, termasuk bingkai peregang (untuk meregangkan lungsin). Alternatif yang lebih kecil untuk bingkai penegang tidak tercantum dalam buku sketsa ini.

Berbagai gambar mengilustrasikan secara singkat langkah-langkah yang diperlukan untuk mempersiapkan tekstil Ikat. Gambar-gambar tersebut dijelaskan dalam bahasa Indonesia dan Inggris dan dilengkapi dengan beberapa foto karya Sabine Wunderlin & Willemijn de Jong, yang menunjukkan Mama Ango sedang mempersiapkan lungsin Ikat dan menenun di alat tenun pinggang tradisionalnya di Flores.

Buku sketsa ini didedikasikan untuk Mama Ango di desa Nggela, kabupaten Ende, Flores Tengah, Indonesia bagian timur, yang telah membimbing kami dalam mewujudkan mimpi ini. Namun juga ucapan terima kasih yang tulus kepada semua penenun lainnya di Flores.

!!!!PERHATIAN: File unduhan sedikit rusak lagi. Dua halaman kehilangan teks bahasa Inggris dan sebuah gambar. Sekarang tampaknya sudah baik, tetapi mohon periksa kembali! Kami mohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan ini.

Como grupo de trabajo tuvimos el gusto de participar en 2021 en el 1 er Encuentro "Textiles de las Américas", presentando los prototipos que diseñamos y ejecutamos para cuatro cooperativas de tejedoras en los estados de Oaxaca y Guerrero, en el sur de México, durante la pandemia del COVID-19. Estos prototipos sirvieron como modelo, que propusimos para modificarse al gusto, con el fin de que las cooperativas encontraran otras opciones de mercado, al disminuir la demanda de huipiles y otros formatos tradicionales por la caída del turismo. Superada la emergencia sanitaria, en 2022 retomamos la tarea de recrear diversas técnicas de tejido que habíamos documentado en comunidades mestizas de la región central y sur de San Luis Potosí a finales de los años 1970. Nos interesaba avanzar en este proyecto porque creemos que al menos algunas de estas formas de tejer no fueron exclusivas del noreste de México antiguamente, y nos ofrecen la oportunidad de diversificar el repertorio de l@s artistas textiles que trabajan con el telar de cintura en otras regiones de nuestro país hoy día. Fue así como Adriana Sabino, quien tomó un taller con la Dra. Tomoko Torimaru, experta en los tejidos de tarjeta realizados en varios rincones del mundo, reprodujo las antiguas cintas potosinas tejidas en la estructura de enlazado de urdimbre y posteriormente combinó esta técnica con el tejido de trama envolvente para recrear los flecos de las servilletas más finas, que fueron labradas por las abuelas con gasa compleja y randa de aguja en las comunidades del centro del estado.

Tääy-Jëkëëny, dualidad creadora, “Fin y principio de todas las cosas”, se encuentra presente en la ritualidad y religiosidad ayuuk (mixe) de San Juan Cotzocón. Como dualidad, Tääy-Jëkëëny es la encargada de determinar no solo la concepción, sino la personalidad, carácter, tiempo, destino. Una presencia fundamental de la religiosidad ayuuk es la entidad creadora Jëkëëny. Esta deidad, considerada como “Diosa Madre”, se encuentra fuertemente asociada a la cuenta ritual de 260 días, y es una figura que se ha identificado con la “vida”, la “sangre” y el “agua”.

New tombs were uncovered in the rock necropolis
of Kom el-Ahmar/Sharuna. They are cut into the court
yards of rock-cut Pharaonic chamber tombs. The bodies
are badly conserved but one of them – a young woman – could be reconstructed. The deceased was wrapped in
the characteristic, usual “Coptic” manner, i.e. in shrouds
fastened with coloured ribbons. She was wearing two
wool tunics, one in yellow and one in red. Only small
fragments exist from the uppermost (yellow), the other
one (red) can be reconstructed thanks to many frag
ments. The latter is a tunic with an interlace tapestry
of oriental/Persian-influenced decoration. The arms
of the deceased were not passed through the long and
narrow sleeves, which were empty and hung free. This
corresponds to an oriental fashion. A coloured sprang
cap covered the head. The garment is of high quality and
designates its owner as belonging to the local elite. The
grave can be dated to the 7th century

This work examines the historical clothing and textiles of Europe as critical elements of material culture, exploring their roles in shaping social identity, economic status, and cultural expression (Martin & Weetch, 2017; Fanfani et al., 2020; Morales & de la Cruz, 2020). To address these aims consistently, the research objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions are interconnected to trace how textiles both reflected and shaped European societies (Smith, 2017). The research objectives involve analyzing textile artifacts and garments from various periods to uncover their historical contexts and the economic and social forces that guided their production and use (Jones & Becker, 2019; Lee, 2015). The methodology includes a literature review and the examination of museum collections, with qualitative and quantitative approaches integrated to catalogue, describe, and thematically interpret textiles from the medieval period to the 19th century (Historical Clothing and Textiles in Europe: Abstracts 2026). The main findings show that clothing and textiles visually distinguished social classes, revealed gender distinctions, and marked regional identities (Schmitt, 2018). Patterns identified include social hierarchies regulated by textile laws, impacts of trade routes on fabric diversity, and technological innovations such as weaving and dyeing (Kaye, 2012; Harlizius-Klück, 2022). Garments transmitted cultural values and adapted to new influences, further tying clothing to wider societal shifts (Feng & Xiao, 2021). The conclusion underscores that historical clothing and textiles are vital indicators of European social values and transformations, and that their study offers a nuanced, cross-disciplinary perspective on historical narratives and material culture (Caruso & Bonta, 2025). This inquiry, by integrating history, art history, sociology, and anthropology, argues for further exploration of artifacts as a means to deepen understanding of social systems and cultural change (Blake, n.d.).

For centuries, textiles have been incorporated in Armenian manuscripts in various forms and places. They may be produced of diverse materials, such as plain-weave silk, luxurious silk brocade, woven cotton or linen, either single color or stamped with multi-colored floral or geometric patterns. Luxurious textiles were depicted in illuminations, clearly indicating trade relations between Armenians and Europe, the greater Mediterranean, and even China. [cont.]

A La flor más bella del ejido se le ha llegado a concebir como una feria de extracción indígena cuyas raíces se encuentran en las celebraciones a la diosa de las flores, de la vegetación, del fuego nuevo llamada Xochiquetzalli, debido a que en ellas se sacrificaba una mujer y ocurría en la primavera. Por esto se dice que ocurrió una superposición de fechas con toda intención de los españoles al colocar la festividad el mismo día que se celebra a la virgen de los dolores.

About the Author / Elena Phipps wrote her MA thesis on Discontinuous Warp and Weft Textiles in Peru in and received her PhD in precolumbian art history and archaeology from Columbia University in . She worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art for thirty-four years as a textile conservator as well as co-curator for two major textile exhibitions-The Colonial Andes: Tapestries and Silverwork " -in , whose catalogue was awarded the CAA Alfred Barr Jr. Award and the Mitchell Prize, and The Interwoven Globe: Worldwide Textile Trade in . She has focused her professional work on the study of the history of textile materials and techniques in cultural contexts. Her most recent publication is a co-edited volume of essays, Arte y Saber del Textil (Banco de Credito del Peru, ). Other publications include Cochineal Red: The Art History of a Color (The Metropolitan Museum of Art,

The environmental conditions of the Middle Nile Valley are often optimal for the preservation of organic material. Many settlements and burials have been the find spots of fabrics attesting to local textile production (wool, cotton), and also to associated
sartorial and funerary practices, but Gebel Adda stands out as the site which has yielded to date the largest quantity of silk textiles. This assemblage, largely unpublished so far, is also exceptional for the size of the textiles and clothing pieces preserved, some almost complete.

胸饰是古埃及重要的饰品之一，在古王国时期出现，在中王国得到快速发展，在新王国时期出现了不同的形制。目前发掘出最早的胸饰实物来自拉混(Lahun)地区的西塔哈托尔尤内特公主(Sithathoryunet)公主墓中，可追溯至中王国第十二王朝时期。胸饰中的图像常用各类矿物宝石和金属镶嵌而成，辅以圣书体文字装饰，具有象征性含义。除了装饰作用，胸饰在宗教意义上具有保护佩戴者的功能。
中王国王室胸饰的外观和图像主题实现了显著的发展，出现了多种主题的图像，在胸饰“保护”的基础功能上，中王国王室胸饰更加突出宣扬王权的主题。新王国之后的王室胸饰图像则更加突出丧葬用途与宗教主题。目前已出土的王室胸饰实物较少，本文将以古埃及王室胸饰实物为主要研究对象，首先对胸饰“pectoral” 一词以及其圣书体词汇进行定义，其次介绍胸饰的制造与材料，在此基础上对古埃及各个时期的王室胸饰进行分类研究，解析王室胸饰上常见的图像元素及其象征性含义，探讨古埃及各个时期王室胸饰的发展特征，最后结合时代背景，归纳总结王室胸饰图像发展特点的历史意义。
关键词：古埃及；首饰；王室胸饰；图像研究

This chapter explores how human-animal encounters are described in the sister- and brotherbooks of the Devotio Moderna, both concerning sisters and brothers interacting with actual animals and their symbolic use as analogies for humans or divine or demonic manifestations. Despite the omnipresence of animals in the daily lives of these sisters and brothers as food, livestock, predators, or pets, few animals appear in their biographies. If they do surface, they are mostly present in the lives of women. What made some animals special enough to be included in these human biographies? The chapter addresses the manifold functions of references to animals: ranging from symbolic to actual, from exemplars to tempters, and from helpers to adversaries.

In a Low Countries urban context, it is not surprising that the Devotio Moderna appealed mostly to women. From the rise of the Poverty Movement from the twelfth century, contemporary sources report that the ideal of vita apostolica et evangelica attracted women first and foremost. Many chose a life without vows, as Beguines. Some acted as spiritual leaders. In the 1370s, Geert Grote intended to put a stop to what was seen as undesirable effects of this female prominence. As an alternative, he created a female community under strict supervision: Sisters of the Common Life. This article explores how the new format impacted the lives of women without vows. Did they quietly comply to the new regime or are their signs of them opposing it? How independent could they still be, both as far as their spirituality and practical matters were concerned?

Hendrik and Theodora provide us with a data sheet of their basic linguistic studies, which is also mentioned in their essay 'Buitenzorgsch Weefwerk‘ in 1906. Even Theodora is less to be regarded as the author of the essay, her weaving studio, as Hendrik‘s essay shows, probably forms the basis of Hendrik's writings, what‘s reason to mention her here as a co-thinker. By her, his theoretical observations are based on fundamental practice. His essay also makes clear that Theodora was also proficient in various languages existing on Java.

The original essay is difficult to find, the more difficult it was to find a copy, which (still) contains this data sheet on the word studies. Just one of the three copies found contained it; also this one is too often overlooked, since it doesn’t straight follow at the end of the essay.

This article challenges the assumption that early examples of Caucasian rugs have been lost, arguing instead that they did not exist prior to the late nineteenth century. It proposes that what is commonly identified as the “Caucasian rug” emerged in direct response to socio-economic transformations that integrated the region into global markets. Drawing on Carol Bier’s analysis of the shift from Safavid court production to decentralized, commercially oriented weaving, the study situates these rugs within a broader historical framework of economic change. It further examines the transition from structured, architecturally grounded design to compositions dominated by repetition, in which elements such as the prayer niche persist only as residual forms. By aligning formal analysis with historical context, the article reinterprets Caucasian rugs not as survivals of an earlier tradition, but as products of a modern, market-driven system of production.

The Akwete hand-woven fabrics produced by the Igbo and found in the southeastern part of Nigeria celebrate a rich tapestry of intricate and colourful designs that convey significant messages rooted in the Igbo worldview. Traditionally, these fabrics are reserved for special occasions in Igbo culture, where women typically wear them as two wrappers paired with a lace blouse, while men also incorporate them into their attire. It is uncommon to see Akwete fabrics combined with other materials in everyday clothing, underscoring their unique cultural significance. In addition to the Akwete fabrics, Uli traditional hand painting features over a hundred symbolic motifs drawn from Igbo idioms, slogans, and proverbs. Historically, these designs were applied to bodies and walls, serving both aesthetic and spiritual purposes. Unfortunately, the practice of Uli painting has been in decline, approaching a state of near extinction in recent years. Given the cultural importance of these motifs, this study posits that integrating Akwete fabrics with Uliinspired batik designs in clothing construction can aid in their sustainability and revitalize interest in these art forms. Through qualitative research, desk methodology and studio

Este artículo examina el valor atribuido a la mirada como forma de adquisición de saber en los procesos de aprendizaje del encaje de bolillos, centrándose en el gesto de «aprender mirando» entre palilleiras gallegas. A partir del concepto «robar con los ojos» propuesto por Herzfeld en 2004, analizo las ambivalencias de la mirada como acto legítimo de acceso al conocimiento y como potencial forma de apropiación cultural. Desde una perspectiva etnográfica, se exploran las tensiones entre las formas relacionales de aprendizaje no formal y las lógicas institucionales de enseñanza pautada. Asimismo, abordaré las controversias en torno a la circulación de patrones, imágenes y diseños, en un contexto de creciente estetización y exhibición del trabajo manual. El artículo propone una lectura crítica de las economías morales, afectivas y políticas que atraviesan la visualidad en los saberes artesanos tradicionales.

John the Baptist is a provocative prophet, not only through the content of his teaching but also with his appearance, which sent a clear message to his audience. The content of this message is the subject of the research undertaken here. John's attire can be considered on three levels: utilitarian, typological, and symbolic. Wearing camel hair had practical advantages due to the properties of the material, particularly its thermoregulatory and hydrophobic qualities. However, it also caused significant discomfort due to the coarseness of the fabric. From a typological perspective, the Baptist's clothing, including his tunic and girdle, was a distant reference to the description of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8 (LXX). The discrepancies between the texts should be explained by the historicity of the description of John's appearance. Despite the differences, the parallel seems clear not only to modern audiences but also to ancient ones. The Elijah-John typology also emerges from their clothing. The symbolism of John's attire is based on the discomfort caused by wearing camel hair, as well as on the cultural impurity—or rather ambivalence—of the camel itself. From the first point, one can infer John's character, who becomes a model of a new priesthood characterized by self-discipline and renunciation of worldly comforts. From the second, John's mission (as a precursor to Jesus' mission) is universalized, addressing not only the clean (Jews) but also the unclean (Gentiles).

Kağıt üretiminde hammadde olarak kullanılan paçavra, çöplerden veya hanelerdeki kullanılmayan bez artıklardan devşirilen bir maddeyi işaret eder. XIX. yüzyılda kağıt üretim teknolojisinde yaşanan gelişmeler sonucunda kağıt üretim miktarıyla birlikte paçavra talebi de artış gösterdi. Özellikle Amerika ve İngiltere’nin kağıt üretimi konusunda dünyaya egemen olması, onları aynı zamanda en büyük paçavra ihracatçıları haline getirdi. İki ülke arasında yaşanan rekabet sonucunda paçavra fiyatlarının yükselmesi ve Avrupa’daki birçok ülkenin kendi kağıt sanayisini koruyabilmek adına paçavra ihracatını yasaklaması veya vergi politikaları geliştirmesi bu ülkelerin ilgisinin Osmanlı liman kentlerine yöneltmesine yol açtı. Bu çalışma öncelikle Osmanlı İmparatorluğu sınırları içindeki kağıt üretimi ve paçavracılık sektörünü incelemeyi ve Batılı ülkelerin imparatorluk kentlerinden paçavra ithal etmeye başlamasıyla iç piyasanın nasıl etkilendiğini anlamayı hedeflemektedir. Daha sonra sermayenin girişiyle bu sektörün nasıl dönüşüm geçirdiği, kentte nasıl organize (mağaza, depo, iş gücü) bir hal aldığı çerçeveye oturtulmaya çalışılacaktır. Ayrıca kağıt üretimi ve esnaf ilişkisinin formel-enformel sınırlarına, paçavranın bir sektör olarak kentle ve yerel yönetimlerle nasıl ilişkilendiğine ve uluslararası ticarette Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nun aldığı konuma yönelik görüşler ileri sürmektedir. Bu makale son olarak günümüz kentlerinde bile ‘görünmeyen, tanınmayan’ geri dönüşüm emeğinin tarihsel ufkuna yönelik soruşturma niyeti taşımaktadır.

The current paper manages the time of India's most prominent social fluorescence, The Golden Age. By the sixth century B.C. we see a significant change in the public arena. The orthodox way wherein the Brahmins attempted to control individuals, prompted the ascent of new religions like Buddhism and Jainism. In this example, we will likewise find out about the Hindu lifestyle, and how two noticeable religions, Buddhism and Jainism, came up as independent religions. An exuberant intellectual discussion has been happening among historians and archeologists regarding the matter of the sequence of the caverns at Ajanta. The workmanship and design of these locales mirrors India's incredible materials culture. The field perceptions and basic computations show development by endogenous development (expansion), with respect to pahoehoe flows in Hawaii and Iceland. Curiously, in spite of contrasts in stream volumes of significant degrees between Hawaiian, Icelandic, and Deccan flows, their morphologies, inward designs, and, surprisingly, the size of these constructions are indistinguishable.. We show that the Elephanta Caves, an incredibly famous recorded, imaginative, and religious landmark, are additionally a landmark. At thirty years old, Vardhaman went out looking for truth. He surrendered the existence of simplicity and pleasure and turned into an ascetic.

This paper explores the life of the Basel missionary Edmond Perregaux in Switzerland and among the Akan of Ghana. It is concerned with the construction and expression of his selfhood in and between two different worlds in the later nineteenth century under the aegis of an ever advancing globalization. In brief, the paper looks at a Swiss missionary as an actor in Africa and among Africans and reflects upon the matter of reconciling and integrating these two arenas of experience in the formation of his individual subjectivity. It is aimed at creating a much needed bridge between the discrete concerns of Missionary and Africanist historians, and to suggest within the framework of a single individual life the possibilities for a richer, more textured understanding of personhood when all due attention is paid to the interactions between the shaping environments of both home and abroad.

In this chapter I will examine what a ‘tradition’ consists of, using ethnographic examples. My main focus is the weaving cultures of Southeast Asia, which I will compare with the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, in order to show how widespread key features and processes are. Traditions are amalgams of parts, including conservative elements that change very slowly, and aspects that change more quickly: I will illustrate this by teasing apart some of the components and describing their evolution over time, looking in particular at how inventions and innovations arise and spread. Consideration of both slow-changing and the fast-changing aspects are essential to understanding how traditions have evolved.
Both traditional weaving and Buddhist sects have at their core a kernel of knowledge that is passed on from generation to generation. Both possess lineages that are resolvable by different methods: in the case of Buddhist sects these lineages are directly accessible via historical records, while in the case of weaving there are few historical accounts and other methods must be used, amongst which I will focus on the use of long-lived aspects of material culture (such as weaving looms) to trace the histories of craft traditions. I will argue that both weaving traditions and religious orders have ‘technologies’ at their core and that, despite a huge difference in content, they have evolved in broadly similar ways.

Гусарія у 1616 р. Судова скарга гусарського ротмістра пана Яроша Сенкевича та товариства Ключові слова: актові документи, гусари, одяг, озброєння, XVII ст. У пропонованій публікації досліджується маловідомий для широкого загалу актовий документ початку XVII ст., який дозволяє суттєво розширити наші уявлення про зовнішній вигляд гусарії Речі Посполитої під час війни з Московією в 1609-1618 рр. Судова скарга гусарського ротмістра пана Яроша Сенкевича, датована 1616 р., містить детальний реєстр пограбованих речей, серед яких є озброєння, одяг, кінське спорядження та особисте майно, і, що особливо цікаво для нас, зазначено ціни втрачених речей.
The proposed publication reviews a little-known legal document from the early 17th century which allows to significantly expand our idea about the appearance of the hussars in thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the war with Muscovy in 1609–1618. The court complaint of the hussar captain (rotmistrz) Jarosz Sienkiewicz dated 1616 contains a detailed
register of looted items, including weapons, clothing, horse harness, and personal property, as well as the prices of the lost items which is especially interesting for us

century Portuguese chasuble (see fig. 8.4) SPREADING DESIRE, LINKING THE WORLD pintados and the portuguese (1500-1850) j o ã o t e l e s e c u n h a a n d m a r i a j o ã o f e r r e i r a B EGINNING IN 1500, A NEW CHAPTER OPENED FOR INDIAN CHINTZ. For centuries, Europe had received the highly coveted spices-pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon-of Southeast Asia and India via intermediary traders who travelled to the Mameluke sultanate and then crossed the Mediterranean to reach the Italian city states, namely, Venice and Genoa. Bypassing these long traditional routes, in 1498 the Portuguese, led by Vasco da Gama, sailed directly to India around the tip of southern Africa, opening up a direct maritime route to Asia. It quickly became the major channel for Europe to acquire Asia's spices-and its textiles. At the same time, the Portuguese crossed the Atlantic to establish a colony in America: Brazil. Indian cotton textiles were one of the new Asian commodities introduced by the Portuguese into western markets after they opened these new sea routes. More so than Chinese silks, Indian cottons, with their great diversity in types and qualities, appealed to wide markets and soon became critical in the emerging transatlantic trade; they were

Located in the coastal zone of the Central Black Sea (near the city of Samsun), the settlement of İkiztepe represents one of the longest-running archaeological excavations providing data on the prehistoric periods of the region. Excavations conducted between 2021 and 2025 on Tepe I, the largest mound of the site, have revealed contexts dated to the Early Bronze Age I (3100-2900 BC) and the Late Chalcolithic period (3947-3326 BC). Research indicates that weaving activities were organised in a systematic manner at Tepe I from the earliest phases of the Late Chalcolithic onward. Within this context, a stamp uncovered in Level 8 of the Late Chalcolithic deposits constitutes the focus of this study. Discovered in association with weaving-related activities, this object represents the only known example from both İkiztepe and the Central Black Sea Region. The find demonstrates that the stamp tradition, widely attested across a broad geographic area since the Neolithic, was also present in the Black Sea basin. It provides significant evidence regarding İkiztepe's cultural interaction networks and regional connections.

In this paper, girth hoop tie rings from Carnuntum and Pannonia are presented, which are from the Roman Plate Armour (lorica segmentata). With the presented girth hoop tie rings, attention can be drawn to inconspicuous, but perhaps for this very reason fascinating remains of the Roman Plate Armour. These girth hoop tie rings from the Newstead-type can also serve as "indicators" of the presence of the Roman military in the period from the 1st half of the 2nd century to the first half of the 3rd century AD.

The present text deals with the phenomenon of conversion and reuse of textiles in Portugal during the 16 th century. This article aims at contributing to a more profound knowledge of how the Portuguese related to this material universe as well as what it represented to the diff erent social groups at the timetwo relevant aspects for the comprehension of this artistic fi eld in the history of Portuguese art and everyday life, apparently such a trivial matter that so far it has basically remained unexplored as a research fi eld.

The present text deals with the phenomenon of conversion and reuse of textiles in Portugal during the 16 th century. This article aims at contributing to a more profound knowledge of how the Portuguese related to this material universe as well as what it represented to the diff erent social groups at the timetwo relevant aspects for the comprehension of this artistic fi eld in the history of Portuguese art and everyday life, apparently such a trivial matter that so far it has basically remained unexplored as a research fi eld.

This study reevaluates the ‘pseudo-Greek and Latin’ encryption bordering the neckline in Raphael’s Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga (c. 1504) as a functional, high-status security system rather than mere decorative ornament. By applying the logic of Renaissance cryptanalysis and music theory, the paper identifies a multifaceted ‘cognitive moat’ intended to safeguard the Duchess’s informational sovereignty during a period of dynastic and biological crisis. The research proposes that the garment functions as an active talisman: the bodice—modeled after the five-line musical staff—provides a rhythmic tactus for a vocalic litany (soggetto cavato) encoded along the borders. Through this ‘sartorial polyphony,’ the dress acts as a living, talismanic matrix, capturing celestial spiritus to continuously activate the Duchess’s astral medicine.

Medical textiles, including non-implantable and implantable ones, play a central role in the contemporary healthcare setting, and they are paramount in treating wounds, regeneration, and controlling infections. Implantable textiles (sutures, vascular grafts, artificial ligaments), etc., are used to stabilize tissues and guarantee their harmless incorporation with a focus on the use of biocompatible materials, such as polyglycolic acid, polyester, and collagen. Textiles that are not associated with implantation, such as bandages, wound dressings, and surgical gowns are based more on the comfort and functionality of the products, using cotton, chitosan, and calcium alginate to achieve the desired absorbency of the bandages and antimicrobial effect of wound dressings and surgical gowns. The processing modus could not be left behind, where 3D knitting allows the production of custom implants and nanotechnology increases the biocompatibility of the implant by coating them with a material such as nanosized silver. That change toward the comfort of patients can be seen in breathable and flexible materials and biodegradable dressings with as little irritation as possible. Biocompatibility is essential in that it is very important and has to be tested strictly to ascertain the safety of implants and other products that need to be skin-friendly but not implanted. The new developments incorporate smart textiles with sensors to monitor in real time, which is likely to achieve a market of 1 billion by 2024, and compostable materials that overcome environmental issues. There is a long-term study of biocompatibility, complications in regulatory stages, and trade-offs between sustainability and performance. It is recommended that biodegradable polymers need to be developed, uniform testing needs to be adopted and collaboration between the disciplines needs to be promoted. This overview emphasizes the disruptive capabilities of medical fabrics as it is important to further innovate to improve the results of patient care and sustainability within the medical industry.

Cita recomanada: Torró Gil, L. (2026). Contractes de treball i d’aprenentatge als molins paperers alcoians a inicis del segle XIX. Alcoy. RFMC, 264–267.

Aquest text analitza els contractes de treball i d’aprenentatge als molins paperers d'Alcoi a inicis del segle XIX. Destaca l'adopció precoç del sistema de fàbrica i l'ús intensiu de mà d'obra infantil. Els aprenents, sovint menors de 16 anys, rebien retribucions i manutenció, però amb salaris molt inferiors als oficials, beneficiant els empresaris.

Este estudio examina los contratos laborales y de aprendizaje en los molinos papeleros de Alcoy a principios del siglo XIX. Resalta la temprana implementación del sistema fabril y el empleo intensivo de niños. Los aprendices, generalmente menores de 16 años, obtenían remuneración y manutención, aunque con salarios significativamente menores que los oficiales, favoreciendo al capital industrial.

This research explores labor and apprenticeship contracts in Alcoi’s paper mills during the early 19th century. It emphasizes the early adoption of the factory system and the intensive use of child labor. Apprentices under 16 received wages and maintenance, yet their pay remained far below that of adult officials, allowing capitalists to profit from pre-industrial customs.

At their height, the Kitan Liao dynasty (916 CE–1125 CE) ruled portions of modern China, Korea, Mongolia and Russia (Figure 5.1a), and practiced highly choreographed seasonal hunts that were grand enactments of social, cultural and political power. The spring hunt, chunshui 春水, (spring water) involved the use of hawks and falcons to hunt swan and geese. After their conquest of the Liao and parts of China, Russia and Korea, the Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115 CE–1234 CE) adopted Liao seasonal hunting practices (Figure 5.1b). Both the Liao and Jin also developed a hybrid system of court dress, which like falconry, was part of the pomp and circumstance of the court. This study will analyse the intersections of personal dress and the practice of falconry among Liao and Jin elites by examining textiles with chunshui and falconry-related imagery. This imagery includes: 1) the fully mature chunshui motif (predator, prey and water plants), 2) paired raptors or geese, 3) scenes of predation and 4) falconers. Drawing on Tang dynasty (608 CE–917 CE) precedents and Steppe and Central Asian traditions, Liao and Jin designs were part of a visual vocabulary of power, which in combination with the practice of the chunshui, defined, expressed and embodied social hierarchies and political power.

Humans started clothing their bodies right from the Stone Age; rock paintings from the Mesolithic phase have evidence of this. Animal skin, leaves, and hemp in the initial stage, to silk, cotton, woollen, and other fibres have been used for making cloths.

Mewar, the Southern part of Rajasthan, is a very important centre to understand textile manufacturing since the Bronze Age. Several archaeological and temple sites in the region give significant information about the development of cloth making. In modern-day Mewar, few local weavers are still making cotton yarn and textiles. This paper discusses the archaeological evidence of textiles in Mewar, particularly from the 7th to 19th century, the period when the region was ruled by the Sisodia dynasty.

This paper discusses the iconography of the sanctuary at the Church of Panagia Phorbiotissa in Asinou, Cyprus. Flanking the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation are three motifs related to bread (Judas from the Communion of the Apostles, Zosimas giving bread to St. Mary of Egypt, and Mary receiving bread from an angel at the Presentation to the Temple). These can be considered within the context of Marian iconography.