Sheila Paine is an expert on tribal societies and textiles and is the author "of Embroidered Textiles: Traditional Patterns from Five Continents" and the trilogy "The Afghan Amulet: Travels from the Hindu Kush to Razgrad, The Golden Horde: Travels from the Himalaya to Karpathos, " "Amulets "and "The Linen Goddess: Travels from the Red Sea to Prizren." She lives in England.