From Arabic Maqam to European Mode: Music Migration and Identity Reconstruction in the Silk Trade

Abstract

This study presents a methodology for analyzing the historical textile industry, focusing on how supply chain dynamics and the material properties of textile fibers directly govern technological diffusion. The model is applied to the silk trade network from the 8th to the 15th centuries—a critical period for textile-driven economic development. The evolution of a specific artisanal technology, musical instrument manufacturing, is utilized as a unique tracer to map these material-driven constraints. A core analysis contrasts the physical properties of traded silk fiber with those of locally sourced animal gut fiber, demonstrating how the limited availability of silk in Europe—a primary product of the textile trade— forced a material substitution that, in turn, drove significant technological adaptations in instrument design. Findings confirm that major hubs within the textile trade network, such as Baghdad and Venice, functioned as epicenters for technology-driven innovation. This research contributes a quantifiable, material-centric framework to textile history, demonstrating that the physical logistics and inherent properties of textile goods were significant structural forces in shaping artisanal technology.