The ancient luxury of silk

The protein fiber produced by a variety of insect larvae have been used for thousands of years to weave into exquisite textiles, first in China then across Asia before finally being adopted across the western civilizations. Now researchers investigating Chinese tombs have discovered the manufacture and use of silk thousands of years earlier than was thought to be the case.

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Oldest Evidence of Silk Found in 8,500-Year-Old Tombs

By Charles Q. Choi

Live Science

January 10, 2017