Long before our current age of globalization, cloth was a major trade commodity. Textiles, woven from diverse fibers, dyed to various hues, and adorned with myriad designs, were produced by unique cultures around the earth. In their local settings, men and women fashioned distinctive attire from these textiles, expressing personal and collective identities.

At the same time, as trade networks continued to expand, local people and products became entangled with the global market. This exhibit explores the interwoven elements of textiles, trade, and attire in the premodern world.

The exhibit is presented by the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Exhibit details

What: Connecting Threads: Textiles, Trade, and Attire in the Premodern World
When: May 15 through August 31, 2023
Where: Wallin Center, Bell Gallery (ground floor) at Elmer L. Andersen Library | Open during library hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday) | Parking and directions