when did silk begin to be produced in china
th millennium BC
History of silk
The production of silk originated in China in the Neolithic period ( culture, 4th millennium BC
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History of silk [SEP] Introduction
The production of silk originated in China in the Neolithic period ( culture, 4th millennium BC). Silk production remained confined to China until the Silk Road opened at some point during the later half of the 1st millennium BC, though China maintained its virtual monopoly over silk production for another thousand years. Not being confined to use in clothing, silk was used for a number of applications within China, such as writing; the color of the silk worn also held social importance, and formed an important guide of social class during the Tang dynasty. Silk cultivation spread to Japan around 300 AD, and, by 552 AD, the Byzantine Empire managed to obtain silkworm eggs and were able to begin silkworm cultivation; the Arabs also began to manufacture silk at the same time.