In the last and preceding centuries, when embroidery, as an article of dress both for men and women, was an object of considerable importance, the Germans, and more particularly those of Vienna, disputed the palm of excellence with the French. At the same period, Milan and Venice were also celebrated for their embroidery; but the prices were so extravagantly high, that according to Lamarre, its use was forbidden by sumptuary laws. CHAPTER V. SILK AND GOLDEN TEXTURES OF THE ANCIENTS. HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINED IN THIS MANUFACTURE. Manufacture of golden textures in the time of Moses--Homer--Golden tunics of the Lydians--Their use by the Indians and Arabians--Extraordinary display of scarlet robes, purple, striped with silver, golden textures, &c., by Darius, king of Persia--Purple and scarlet cloths interwoven with gold--Tunics and shawls variegated with gold--Purple garments with borders of gold--Golden chlamys--Attalus, king of Pergamus, _not_ the inventor of gold thread--Bostick--Golden robe worn by Agrippina--Caligula and Heliogabalus--Sheets interwoven with gold used at the obsequies of Nero--Babylonian shawls intermixed with gold--Silk shawls interwoven with gold--Figured cloths of gold and Tyrean purple--Use of gold in the manufacture of shawls by the Greeks--4,000,000 sesterces (about $150,000) paid by the Emperor Nero for a Babylonish coverlet--Portrait of Constantius II.--Magnificence of Babylonian carpets, mantles, &c.--Median sindones. The use of gold in _weaving_ may be traced to the earliest times, but seems to be particularly characteristic of oriental manners. It was employed in connexion with woollen and linen thread of the finest colors to enrich the ephod, girdle, and breast-plate of Aaron[105]. The sacred historian goes so far as to describe the mode of preparing the gold to be used in weaving: “And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.”--Ex. xxxix. 2-8. The historian certainly does not intend to describe the process of wire-drawing, nor probably the art of making gold thread. It seems likely, that neither of these ingenious manufactures were invented in his time. The queen described in Ps. xiv., wears “clothing of wrought gold[106].” Homer mentions a golden girdle, (Od. ε. 232. κ. 543.). He also describes an upper garment, which Penelope made for Ulysses before going to Illium. On the front part of it a beautiful hunting piece was wrought in gold. It is thus described. “A dog holds a fawn with its fore feet, looking at it as it pants with fear and strives to make its escape.” This, he says, was the subject of universal admiration[107].