Textiles of the Middle East and Central Asia: The Fabric of Life

This book explores the significance and beauty of textiles from across the Middle East and Central Asia, and is arranged thematically to enable cross‑regional comparisons of the function and symbolic meaning of textiles. Each chapter relates to a facet or phase of a person’s life in which textiles feature prominently: childhood, marriage and ceremony, status and identity, religion and belief, and house and homestead. The book also includes contemporary works that grapple with modern political issues. Focusing on the British Museum’s remarkable collection, it offers a wealth of creative inspiration and will be essential reading for anyone interested in textiles and the cultures of the Middle East and Central Asia.