The history of textiles is really the history of human civilization; however, unlike stone or metals, fiber is poorly preserved in the archeologic record. In this class, we will explore the prehistory and history of fiber arts, looking at the cultural and economic roles of textiles throughout the world. We will visit the history and technology of flax, cotton, silk and wool agriculture, and the use of dyes. We will see how threads and fabrics are produced by braiding, spinning, knitting, and weaving. While most fiber production is industrialized, we will also look at the preservation of hand-crafted yarns and textiles today.
((Howard Seltman - Tuesday - CMU))
