Embellishment with glittering substances is a worldwide and ancient practice. Traces of textiles and other artifacts decorated with gold were depicted in Assyrian bas-reliefs, frozen in the tombs of Scythian nomads, unearthed with the treasures of the pharaohs, and preserved in the burials of Andean cultures’ high priests and nobles. These marvelous historical creations and their equally splendid modern counterparts have a visual appeal that makes them a fertile source of inspiration in contemporary fashion and decoration.

Victoria Z. Rivers has spent more than a decade in her quest for the most spectacular examples of these textiles. Drawing on an extraordinary array of specialist anthropological research from every continent, she examines the lustrous qualities of silk and the special dyeing techniques and other treatments that give fabric surfaces shimmering qualities; explores the use of gold, silver, metals, sequins, beads, and mirrors for decoration; and shows how other gifts of nature?shells, seeds, feathers, beetle wings?are cleverly manipulated to simulate more precious materials.

This sumptuously illustrated, superbly designed, and highly original odyssey through the world’s cultures is essential reading for anyone concerned with the history of textiles and contemporary fashion, as well as all those interested in symbol and ceremonial practice in traditional societies. 287 color illustrations.