Textiles are inherently fragile, and because of their value Islamic fabrics in all periods were cut down and reused over and over again until they literally wore out. Despite their prevalence, comparatively few textiles have survived from the early Islamic period. For example, the English words "cotton" and "mohair," and "taffeta" and "seersucker," derive, respectively, from Arabic and Persian.
Islamic textiles were also widely exported to the West, where their prominence is underscored by their impact on European languages. Often made with costly materials such as silk and gold- and silver-wrapped thread and decorated with complex designs, textiles were luxury goods signifying wealth and social status. The manufacture of and trade in textiles were highly sophisticated and profitable industries that built upon Byzantine and Sasanian traditions. Textiles were ubiquitous in Islamic lands, serving as clothing, household furnishings, and portable architecture (tents). Of the many diverse arts that flourished in the early Islamic period, textiles played an especially significant role in society, one that continued in subsequent periods. Islamic Textile History : Early Islamic Textiles Images. Excerpt from "Woven from the Soul, Spun from the Heart"Įxcerpt from "Masterpieces of Persian Art: Safavid Textiles"
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