A reversible patterned fabric woven with one warp and one weft, in which the pattern is created by the interplay of satin and sateen weaves—a textile that achieves the effect of embroidery without any additional thread.
Damask originated in the city of Damascus, a major stop on the Silk Road, and reached Europe in the fourteenth century. Its defining characteristic is its reversibility: the pattern appears as satin on one side and sateen on the other, creating a fabric that has two distinct faces, equally finished, equally valid as the right side.
Damask was woven on drawlooms and, later, jacquard looms, which allowed for the complex patterning. European weaving centers—Lyons, Genoa, Venice—produced damasks of extraordinary sophistication, used for ecclesiastical vestments, royal garments, and the most expensive upholstery and wall coverings.
