Early tapestries, from the Middle Ages, to the Gobelin tapestries of the 17th century, all the way up until the late 19th century, were made with thick warps and corresponding thick weft threads. These tapestries were often made heavy for a functional purpose: to be hung on chilly stone walls to keep out drafts and keep warmth inside. However, in the 20th century, silk started gaining more popularity, as opposed to other tapestry materials like wool. These thin tapestries are extremely fine and can have as many as 60 warp threads per inch.
The first known tapestry weaving was done in linen by the ancient Egyptians, as far back as 1483 BCE. However, it is impossible to identify for sure either when or where the first tapestries were made, as physical evidence is extremely rare and even then, worn and fragmented. There is scattered documentation of tapestry weaving throughout the very early years of history. Some of this includes in literature. The Odyssey describes a tapestry woven by Penelope that unraveled each night she waited for Odysseus. The Metamorphoses discuss tapestry looms used by Minerva and Arachne. These ancient literary descriptions give us some clue into what tapestry weaving may have been like during those times.