1983.494.7b yellow core yarn of metal thread, as an example).
The skill needed to create such dramatic pieces is exceptional: the cut of the military coats; the threading through of metal mesh and sequins; the lattice weave of python and leather for the pants.
Whereas there had been no comparative study of metal threads from velvets of the two cultures, this study showed possible differences between metal threads of the two cultures.
While most metal wrapped threads use thin metal strips wrapped around a fiber core, research has also been done to characterize threads produced with strips of metal coated organic material, either cellulosic or proteinaceous based [18,19].
In this paper, a part of such analysis of dyes and metal of metal threads is reported.
Yellow core yarns of metal threads of those Persian velvets were mainly dyed with yellow larkspur, except for one sample dyed with a combination of UYD-A and probably turmeric.
Although the dye used on both sets of metal thread is the same, the metal composition of the two cultural types follows a similar tendency as was observed by the metal thread analyses.
The three Persian velvets and two Indian velvets had core yarns of metal thread that appeared to be dyed with the same type of dye: a combination of safflower and turmeric.
While some studies have concentrated on textiles with different types of metal wrapped threads from India and Persia [12,20,21], the present work is the first comparative study of Indian and Persian textiles to also combine the study of the metal threads from the two cultures with dye analysis.
A number of technical studies have found that scanning electron microscopy with compositional analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) is a productive method for investigating of metal wrapped threads from different periods and cultures, and has been used to measure the dimensions of the metal wrapping, to characterize the substrate metal, and any surface layer such as gilding.
