Textiles represent part of man’s history of civilization, since all over the world textiles have beeen produced from very early on.
Only a few textiles have survived from antiquity and they have been found in tombs where climatological conditions favoured their preservation.
During the Byzantine era and the Middle Ages textiles were considered to be precious objects and they are mentioned in wills. Many of these textiles and others dating from later periods are today exhibited in museums or private collections. Both museums and collectors have the duty to protect and preserve them, not only for the present but also for generations to come, as representative examples of the history of civilization.
No matter how an extensive restoration a textile may need it must always be carried out by specialized restoration in well equipped laboratories.
