Gorgeous and oh so elegant Asian Chinese black silk floral scarf with baskets of flowers motif which has been hand rolled edges and hand printed. Made in China. Each of the four quadrants feature a different basket with flowers on a silky white background. Colors of burgundy red, pink, purple, gold, blue and black. Perfect condition with no damage to note. Measures 28-1/2" x 28-1/2" square. Fabric label has a rust-brown colored triangle with Chinese characters and the word TRIANGLE.
Timeless in function and fashion, the silk scarf is as utilitarian today as it ever has been. Silk has stood the test of time in all ages and a myriad of activities. It is lustrous, shimmering and durable. It has good absorbency, which makes it comfortable to wear in all seasons. Silk was first discovered in China around the 27th century B.C., and later moved on to other parts of the world. The fiber produced was so treasured that it became a measure of richness.
Silk is the most hypoallergenic of all fabrics because it is a natural protein and contains only 18 amino acids. It is both highly absorbent and easily discharges humidity. So it can keep your skin moist while letting your skin breathe. Silk scarves are an extremely pleasant alternative, in terms of the sensation on the skin, to almost any other material. Silk was the fabric of choice for pilots in the early days of aviation. The soft, supple feel of the silk prevented chafing of the neck from flight suit and jacket collars that were buttoned tightly to prevent drafts. The unique slipperiness against the sensitive neck-skin was important to early riders and pilots alike.
In cold climates and chilly seasons, silk scarves are worn for warmth. They keep the wind, rain and snow away. There are several effective methods to wrap around the neck and make for a cozy ride down the street. Conversely, in drier, warmer regions of the world thin neck scarves are worn to keep the dust out and to provide a quickly accessible filter whenever the wind picks up or you twist a little harder on the throttle. Silk scarves wrap around the neck and serve as a ready mouth and nose guard, avoiding sand, dust and dirt. Wetted and wrapped around the neck and head, scarves provide a fantastic evaporative cooling experience to combat hot and arid riding conditions.
Whatever a person's reason for wearing a silk scarf, they are in good company whenever donning this piece of clothing. Scarves have been worn in all times and places and as long as people have necks this will continue to be the case.
Silk fabric was first developed in ancient China, with some of the earliest examples found as early as 3500 BC. Legend gives credit for developing silk to a Chinese empress, Leizu (Hsi-Ling-Shih, Lei-Tzu). Silks were originally reserved for the Emperors of China for their own use and gifts to others, but spread gradually through Chinese culture and trade both geographically and socially, and then to many regions of Asia.
Silk rapidly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas accessible to Chinese merchants because of its texture and lustre. Silk was in great demand, and became a staple of pre-industrial international trade. In July 2007, archeologists discovered intricately woven and dyed silk textiles in a tomb in Jiangxi province, dated to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty roughly 2,500 years ago. Although historians have suspected a long history of a formative textile industry in ancient China, this find of silk textiles employing "complicated techniques" of weaving and dyeing provides direct and concrete evidence for silks dating before the Mawangdui-discovery and other silks dating to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).
The first evidence of the silk trade is the finding of silk in the hair of an Egyptian mummy of the 21st dynasty, c.1070 BC. 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 came to be known as the Silk Road.
The Emperors of China strove to keep knowledge of sericulture secret to maintain the Chinese monopoly. In the ancient era, silk from China was the most lucrative and sought-after luxury item traded across the Eurasian continent, and many civilizations, such as the ancient Persians, benefited economically from trade.
A2633 - Hand Printed Asian Chinese Black Silk Floral Scarf - BASKETS OF FLOWERS Hand Rolled Edges
$18.00
