Only a few examples of the creations of silk weaving, one of the most valuable and technologically advanced products of the material culture of the Empire during the early and middle Byzantine period, have survived, most of which are not of the highest quality. Astonishingly, several high-quality Byzantine silks have survived in Cologne and its…
In Histories (2.35.8–10), Herodotus remarks that the Egyptians weave pushing the weft downwards, contrary to the Greeks. This passing observation has long served as evidence that while classical Greek weavers employed the warp-weighted loom, which requires the upward beating in of the weft, the Egyptians had, by the 5th century BCE, transitioned from their traditional…
Between the 13th and 15th centuries, metalwork in the Balkans was shaped by enduring artisanal traditions, while simultaneously integrating new techniques and influences from both the East and the West. Though Byzantine craftsmanship remained a dominant force, it was far from static; instead, it evolved in response to shifting regional, social, and economic conditions. Jewellery,…
Almeno a partire dal V-VI secolo, come ci testimoniano le pitture e i mosaici parietali, i libri liturgici di particolare rilevanza erano rivestiti con coperte lussuose in argento e oro. Già negli esempi più antichi, i piatti erano talvolta decorati con perle e pietre preziose. Seguendo lo sviluppo delle tecniche orafe bizantine, a partire dal…
The most valuable silk textiles in Denmark from the Middle Ages are those found in the grave of Archbishop Absalon of Lund (1178-1201) in Sorø Monastery Church in Denmark, the site of royal burials in the 12th to 14th Century. Three silk fragments are known, belonging to different types of vestments. One samite silk fragment,…