Sogdian silk: myth or reality
Аннотация
Sogdia was a cultural and historical region located in the very center of Asia. It played a vital role in the development of global trade along the Silk Road. Silk was the main commodity. It is generally known that the home of this fabric originated in China. However, by the early Middle Ages the secret of silk production became available to many countries. A certain type of silk fabric – samit – appeared in Byzantium by the 6th century. It then became popular in other countries. Opinions differ about whether silk samits were produced on the territory of
Sogdia itself. Henning’s translation of a customs inscription on a piece of silk from Huy (Belgium) has become an important piece of evidence in favor of Sogdian origins of many silks from various collections. Later, however,this truly significant inscription was re-read by N. Sims-Williams and J. Kahn with the tentative conclusion that the fragment containing the inscription may have been made in the Syro-Egyptian region. Thus, the attestation of these preserved textile artifacts being connected to the Sogdians has been questioned. Specialists
in the history of textiles cast doubt that Sogdia had its own silk weaving industry at all. This article provides evidence in support of the hypothesis that Sogdia was actually a place of manufacture for a certain group of samits. These arguments are based primarily on the style of the fabric’s decor and specific design motifs.