Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Silk
(3,701 words)

1. Raw material and initial processing

Silk is an animal fiber extracted from the cocoons of silkworms, which must feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree; in Europe, they can be cultivated only in the Mediterranean region. Mercantilist projects in the 17th and 18th centuries to introduce mulberrry trees…

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Pfister, Ulrich, “Silk”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 30 November 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_027370>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180208



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