1000 year old silk shirt
Recently, Southeby’s London had an auction featuring a 1,000 year old silk shirt that was, and is, in remarkable condition. The beautiful shirt is decorated with ducks wearing scarves and carrying strings of pearls in their beaks. It was woven in samite technique which is a weft faced compound twill weave.
The back story is even more amazing, as the piece is attributed to the Sogdian people who lived in what is now Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
The Sogdian were a nomadic tribe known for their weaving and for their fine horses. It is conjectured that the Chinese were willing to trade their silk for the Sogdian horses. The Sogdians transformed the silk into exquisite weavings, this shirt being one of them.
“There are hardly any of these garments outside museums, and the condition of this one is extraordinary – they were known and coveted as cloth of gold and although it is entirely woven of silk, after 1000 years it still really does look as if it was made of real gold,” said Alexandra Roy, the deputy director of the Middle East department of Sotheby’s.
The Sogdian Empire died out in the 10th century and the shirt is dated between the seventh and ninth centuries AD.
The auction was held in April and the beautiful golden silk shirt was expected to sell for over $700,000.00.