Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-11345660-20130908095939/@comment-7153552-20130910220550

As for the clothing, it just isn't practical to fine silk gowns in most of Skyrim. It's simple, yes, but it's also a very harsh place. Outside of the royalty - and not even in some of the royalty - there just isn't a call for that kind of clothing. It's not in their culture, and it's not a very prudent set of attire when traversing even the roads of Skyrim.

Some of the technology of old is lost, I assume, as well. The Romans had steam powered boats, granted they only used it in children's toys, but they had the ability. They just never really made the connection to a larger use. Greek Fire is a great example, too. We have Napalm and Naptha today, but if reports can be believed Greek Fire was more volitile than the chemical concoctions we know currently.

It would also have to be something of interest to the culture in question. Do the Nords have any need or desire for Airships? Probably not, just doesn't seem like a very Nordic thing to have, so I wouldn't expect to have seen it there.