Cloth of gold
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cloth of gold is a fabric woven with a gold-wrapped or spun weft - referred to as "a spirally spun gold strip". In most cases, the core yarn is silk wrapped with a band/ or strip of high content gold filé. In rarer instances, fine linen and wool have been used as the core.
"Cloth of gold" is not to be confused with various gold embroidery techniques that date to the early Middle Ages. It is mentioned on both Roman headstones for women and in the Book of Psalms (psalm 45, verse 14) as a fabric befitting a princess. The Ancient Greek reference to the Golden Fleece is seen by some as a reference to gold cloth.
Few extant examples have survived in Roman provincial tombs. Other notable, and later, producers of "cloth of gold" include the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Italian weavers. A similar cloth of silver was also made. It is still made in India and Italy today.
Modern cloth made with metallic fabrics in the West is known as lamé.
Resources: "The Roman Textile Industry and Its Influence. A Birthday Tribute to John Peter Wild", edited by Penelope Walton Rodgers, et al.