The golden thread : how fabric changed history

Name/Title

The golden thread : how fabric changed history

Entry/Object ID

NK8806.S7

Description

All textiles begin with a twist. From colourful 30,000-year old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to what the linen wrappings of Tutankhamun's mummy actually meant; from the Silk Roads to the woollen sails that helped the Vikings reach America 700 years before Columbus; from the lace ruffs that infuriated the puritans to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution, our continuing reinvention of cloth tells fascinating stories of human ingenuity. When we talk of lives hanging by a thread, being interwoven, or part of the social fabric, we are part of a tradition that stretches back many thousands of years. Fabric has allowed us to achieve extraordinary things and survive in unlikely places, and this book shows you how -- and why. With a cast that includes Chinese empresses, Richard the Lionheart and Bing Crosby, Kassia St Clair takes us on the run with escaped slaves, climbing the slopes of Everest and moonwalking with astronauts. Running like a bright line through history, The Golden Thread offers an unforgettable adventure through our past, present and future.

Lexicon

Search Terms

textile fabrics--history

Legacy Lexicon

Category

Book

Book Details

Author

Kassia St. Clair

Publisher

John Murray

Place Published

City

London

Country

England, United Kingdom

Continent

Europe

Date Published

2019

Call No.

NK8806.S7

ISBN

1473659051, 9781473659056

Notes

Length: 352