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Preferred term

Silk  

Definition

  • n. A term from the Old English "sioloc" "seoloc" and Latin "s?ricus" "S?res". It refers to the strong, soft, lustrous fibre or fibroin (continuous protein filament) produced or secreted by the larvae of certain bombycine moths, specially moth caterpillars, the Bombyx mori (known as the silkworm) which feed upn mulberry leaves when construction their cocoons. The silk is secreted as a viscous fluid from two glands in the lateral part of the body and it joins the secretion of sericin from two other glands that quickly hardens and cements the two filaments together. The silkworm winds this thread about itself to form a protective cocoon in which it passes the pupal stage. Silk has been an early trade item (from 2nd and 1st century B.C.) due to its many desirable qualities. It was a primary impetus for the establishment of lon-distance overland trade routes, known as the Silk Road.

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https://data.arxiuvalencia.eu/vocabulary/c_6b29c35e

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