Initially intended to provide background information for an exhibition in the making (at State of Concept in Athens), my research into 18th to 19th century Aegean textiles quickly became an end in itself. In an attempt to understand the embroideries' rich and intricate language (and its many dialects), I took a black marker and began tracing their motifs. Simultaneously, through a process of reading and writing, I got to understand that what's left of these textiles today, is foremost a reflection of socio-economic and technological developments, as well as early 20th century ideas about anthropology and preserving heritage. This publication thus doesn’t attempt to give a comprehensive account of the craft or the conditions it thrived in, but instead it is “simply” an attempt to care for these textiles and the women who embroidered them so carefully.