<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><dc:title xml:lang="en">silk</dc:title><dc:identifier>http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en?tema=31374430</dc:identifier><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Getty Institute</dc:publisher><dcterms:created>2026-03-30 20:40:59</dcterms:created><dcterms:isPartOf xsi:type="dcterms:URI">http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en</dcterms:isPartOf><dcterms:isPartOf xml:lang="en">Tesaurus d&apos;Art i Arquitectura</dcterms:isPartOf><dc:format>text/html</dc:format> <dcterms:alternative xml:lang="en">silkworm silk</dcterms:alternative> <dc:description xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[ A fine, lustrous, natural fiber obtained from the catepillar cocoons of silk moths, such as the domesticated Bombyx mori. Silkworm silk is composed of a heavy and light chain of core proteins called fibroins, which are coated by sericin, a collection of sticky, glue-like proteins.  Microscopically, raw silk appears as two strands that are held together with sericin protein. According to legend, silk was discovered by Chinese Empress Si-Ling-Shi when a cocoon fell in her tea. China maintained a monopoly on the production of silk fabric for almost 3,000 years.The worms were first cultivated in Japan about 195 CE and in Europe about 555 CE.  ]]></dc:description></metadata>