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Silk culture in China 1857
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Silk culture in China 1857
Preparing raw silk. Date: 1857
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Media ID 20159941
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Bubblepunk
1857 Cocoons Preparing Silk Spinning Textiles Winding
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This photograph, taken in China in 1857, offers a rare glimpse into the intricate and labor-intensive process of preparing raw silk for textile production during the 19th century. The image showcases a group of skilled artisans carefully unwinding cocoons to extract the delicate threads that would later be used to create exquisite fabrics. Silk was a significant industry in China, with a rich history dating back over 3,000 years. The country was renowned for its high-quality silk, which was highly sought after in international markets for its luxurious texture and sheen. The process of transforming raw silk from the cocoons of the silkworm was a meticulous and time-consuming endeavor. In this photograph, we see the artisans working in a dimly lit room, surrounded by piles of cocoons and baskets filled with unwound silk threads. Each cocoon is carefully cut open with a small knife, and the delicate threads are unwound using a tool called a spindle. The silk threads are then wound onto reels, ready to be transported to the spinning and weaving stages of production. Despite the advent of mechanical silk production methods in the late 19th century, this traditional method of preparing raw silk continued to be used in China and other parts of Asia for many years. The intricate process of silk production, from the cultivation of mulberry trees and the feeding of silkworms to the unwinding of cocoons, was a testament to the skill and dedication of the silk artisans of China.
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