An Exhibit Tracing the Centuries-Old Use of Linen as a Symbol of Temple Worship & Religious Expression
October 8-22, 2016 at the Los Angeles LDS Visitors’ Center October 24-November 1, 2016 at the Fishbowl at USC
From the time of King Solomon in the 10th Century B.C., linen played an important role in the daily lives of the Jewish people and other Near Eastern civilizations. Biblical references to linen are found in Isaiah, Hosea and Exodus describing temple veils, priestly garments, and clothing worn by angelic visitors.
An exhibition tracing the history of linen throughout the Bible from Old Testament to New Testament times will be displayed as part of the “Sacred Space, Sacred Thread” conference at USC. Some early Christians believe Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a linen weaver in the temple. It was at the “Fuller’s Field” – a reference to fields where flax is trampled – that Isaiah pronounced his vision of the birth of Christ to a Virgin.
The exhibit was created under the direction of British theologian Margaret Barker and the Temple Studies Group based in England. It will be shown Oct. 8-22 at the Los Angeles Temple Visitors’ Center and Oct. 24- Nov. 1 in the Fishbowl at USC’s Religious Center. It has previously been displayed in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ireland.