Silk, consisting of silk fibroins and sericin, has a rich history in ancient cultures, especially in sacrificial rituals and communication with deities. The importance of silk in rituals is evident in ancient Chinese texts, where it was used in clothes to worship ancestors and Heaven, and as materials for making books and paintings for offerings. Silk’s organic properties present challenges in preservation, but innovative methods, like the silk fibroin IAC enrichment technique, have been developed to detect silk residues in archaeological sites. The discovery of silk residues at the Sanxingdui sacrificial pits confirms the early use of silk as a material carrier, providing insight into ancient practices and the cultural origins of silk.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-78687-7