MUSEOS DE LA SEDA / SILK MUSEUMS

Various fields of artisanship were related to sericulture in the 17 th and 18 th centuries. For example, dyeing “Daraia” (one of the special types of domestic woven silk textile, mostly used as headscarf in Western Georgia) and other textiles was regarded as separate profes- sion. Notes of various travelers suggest that silk weavers used to sit together in the markets of Tbilisi, showing their mastery with great eagerness to the audience. A number of thread spinning factories were established in Georgia by Europeans for producing high quality silk products in the 1850s. Historical evidence suggests that the first half of the 19 th century was distinguished with the production of high quality and big quantity of silk in Georgia. Sericulture continued to develop in Georgia after it became a part the Russian Empire. However, the focus at that time had shifted towards the export of raw materials (Abesadze, 1957). CAUCASIAN SERICULTURE STATION Development of sericulture in Transcaucasia was seriously threatened in 1850s, as the silkworm disease called Pebrine spread from European countries. Production of healthy silkworm eggs reduced dramatically, ancient Caucasian species were extinct and necessity of sharing European experience in fighting the epidemic was inevitable (Shavrov, 1891). Russian authorities decided to send young biologist Nikolai Shavrov to the Caucasus for studying the situation. After the expedition, he was sent to the heart of European seri- 126