"The origins of chemistry lie in the coloring and finishing of cloth. The beginning of binary code--and perhaps all of mathematics--is found in weaving. Selective breeding to produce fibers heralded the birth of agriculture. The belt drive came from silk production ... The textile business funded the Italian Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; it left us double-entry bookkeeping and letters of credit, the David and the Taj Mahal ... As much as spices or gold, the quest for fabrics and dyes drew sailors across strange seas, creating an ever-more connected global economy. Synthesizing ... research from economics, archaeology, and anthropology, Postrel weaves a rich tapestry of human cultural development"-- Provided by publisher.
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