Publication of Textiles and Clothing Volume of the 'Thematic Collection of the Cultural Exchanges along the Silk Roads'

UNESCO is pleased to announce the online publication of the ‘Textiles and Clothing’ volume of the ‘Thematic Collection of the Cultural Exchanges along the Silk Roads’. This volume, which was developed by UNESCO and the China National Silk Museum features contributions from internationally renowned scholars and experts in the field of textiles, clothing and Silk Roads exchanges.  

Aimed at a broad general audience, this volume on ‘Textiles and Clothing along the Silk Roads’ takes the reader around the world, from Java to West Africa, Scandinavia to the Philippines. It charts a fascinating history, from the ways in which patterns and dyes were elements of cultural imitation, hybridization and exchange, to how particular motifs and symbols were adopted across cultures and used as means to influence.  

Historically, the cross-border fluidity of textiles, ideas, and design motifs moving along the Silk Roads resulted in highly cosmopolitan workshops producing fabrics and textiles which incorporated stylistic elements, materials, and designs from various regions. Explored within these chapters, these cross-cultural influences are an outstanding feature of the legacy of the Silk Roads.  

This volume is the first to be published from the wider ‘Thematic Collection of the Cultural Exchanges along the Silk Roads’ a new multi-volume series UNESCO is developing which promotes a better understanding of the rich history of the Silk Roads and its contemporary legacy and relevance. Each of the volumes dedicate to a different theme identifies and promote the concrete fields and elements that have facilitated, and been generated from, the cultural interactions and exchanges along the Silk Roads.  

The full publication is available online and can be accessed through the UNESCO Digital Library here.