Page 103 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

92 History and Science of Knots

and none has deigned to record for posterity the techniques of handicrafts.
Consequently, the artistic formulas of master folk craftsmen have been com-
pletely left out of historical texts" [1]. The situation is even worse in the realm
of knotwork. However well-tied, knots have traditionally played a rather sec-
ondary, supporting role in the decorative arts of China. As they have been
employed primarily to enhance the beauty of other dominant art pieces, their
significance has easily become unrecognized. Compounding the dilemma of
scarce documentation further is that historically the preservation of knots has
been given inadequate attention; hence we are left with virtually nothing from
days gone by, except for a few pieces from the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1911).

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Fig. 1. 1st Century Knotting: Intertwining Tails