But those Turkish silks and velvets which gradually became rarer and rarer as a result of not being duly valued in the country, were gathered by all kinds of ways and means and were exported to other countries either as collections or separate pieces. Even the most valuable of them, preserved in quantity in the mausoleums could not escape this out-flow. As represented by some miniatures, traditionally the coffin was wrapped either in the Kaftan (Upper Garment) of or else with other rich silks and velvets. Some of these personel effects also spread over the sarcophagus or stored away in the mausoleum. every mausoleum was a tiny museum of textiles of its own period. Unfortunately we find out through the documents in the archives that most of these materials, especially the textiles, were stolen. Still other written sources reveal tu us the fact that almost eighty years ago, the remaining coffin covers which could be saved from theft and the destructions of time, have been sold as worn-out and uselles stuff by certain official organizations, and they have been replaced by the present embroidered covers. How these materials were exported to Europe is clearly shown by the article of Professor A. J. B. Wace, a reprint of which will be found in this book. (From foreword)
But those Turkish silks and velvets which gradually became rarer and rarer as a result of not being duly valued in the country, were gathered by all kinds of ways and means and were exported to other countries either as collections or separate pieces. Even the most valuable of them, preserved in quantity in the mausoleums could not escape this out-flow. As represented by some miniatures, traditionally the coffin was wrapped either in the Kaftan (Upper Garment) of or else with other rich silks and velvets. Some of these personel effects also spread over the sarcophagus or stored away in the mausoleum. every mausoleum was a tiny museum of textiles of its own period. Unfortunately we find out through the documents in the archives that most of these materials, especially the textiles, were stolen. Still other written sources reveal tu us the fact that almost eighty years ago, the remaining coffin covers which could be saved from theft and the destructions of time, have been sold as worn-out and uselles stuff by certain official organizations, and they have been replaced by the present embroidered covers. How these materials were exported to Europe is clearly shown by the article of Professor A. J. B. Wace, a reprint of which will be found in this book. (From foreword)
