?Early European Tapestries

Tapestries, handwoven textiles made with different colored threads to produce designs or images, were highly popular in western and northern Europe between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries. The nobility at the time usually lived in big, austere, drafty castles, and tapestries provided comfort and warmth. They could be hung on cold walls or used to cover doors and windows. Noble families often did not have a permanent home, instead moving periodically among several locations. Tapestries, which were expensive, were usually packed and moved each time, bringing with them a sense of luxury and familiarity.

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