This book brings together seventeen important new papers published by
Anna Muthesius since 1995. Many of the articles, plates and specially
prepared figures are available only in this book. The volume acts as an
essential companion to Dr Muthesius' earlier book in this series,
Studies in Byzantine and Islamic Silk Weaving. The present book includes
a group of seven papers (Studies II-VI, X, and XIV) originally entitled
'Silk in Byzantium'. These were prepared in the first instance for a
seminar held in 1997 in Nicosia at the University of Cyprus. They offer
an overall survey of Byzantine sericulture, silk manufacture, design,
use and distribution. Study I has been added as an introduction to the
Cyprus series, and to the book as a whole. Silk in an ecclesiastical
context (the relationship between Imperial and monastic piety, ritual
and Christological debate) forms the focus for a further five papers
(Studies VIII-IX and XI-XIII). Study VIII acts to introduce a new
subject, the theme of Byzantine Seafaring silks. The final three
articles (Studies XV-XVII) explore the immense impact of Byzantine silks
abroad between the fifth and fifteenth centuries, in regions as far
apart as the British Isles and Central Asia.
