The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous ... - Cd3wd.com

SILK BY THE ANCIENTS. 21
That the Arabians should have understood the manufacture
of silken textures at as remote a period as that supposed by Mr.
Forster, viz., 500 years after the flood, is, to say the least of it,
exceedingly questionable, yet it cannot be denied that we are
indebted to them for many useful inventions, and among which
may be mentioned the art of making cotton paper*. It is no
less true that we first received our cotton-wool from countries
where the Arabic language was spoken.
To the Arabs also we are indebted for that almost indispen-
sable article of apparel, the shirt, the Arabic name for which is
camees, whence the Italian camiscia, and the French chemiset.
In the attempt here made to trace from the dark ages of
antiquity the progress of trades and manufactures so widely
diflfused over the civilised world as those of cotton, linen, silk,
wool, &c., chronological order is followed as closely as the
nature of the inquiry will permit.
* See Appendix B.
t For further information on Arabia, see Parts II. and III.