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UNDER THE SPELL OF SILK

Dr. Tom Vitayakul

When I was young, a poem piqued my curiosity about silk. Sailor Poem, written by Eleanor Farjeon, an English author, starts as follows: “My sweetheart’s a Sailor, He sails on the sea. When he comes home, He brings presents for me; Coral from china, Silks from Siam, Parrots and Pearls, From Seringapatam…” Never mind where Seringapatam was. I wondered why Thai silks were so sought-after, because at the time most Thais didn’t wear silk, let alone use items made from it.

In the past, sericulture — the process of creating raw silk by raising silkworms — was typically practiced by farmers during the dry season, when they would not have to tend to their rice fields. Now it’s done year-round, and the luxurious silk items that used to be worn chiefly during formal ceremonies are as abundant as Thai smiles. Across the world, lustrous silk pieces appear in fashion and enhance interior décor. They are not only collected for their beauty, but also for their historical, social, and cultural significance. Silk sumptuously wraps around our lives like a gigantic cocoon.

The name most often associated with Thai silk is Jim Thompson, a former CIA agent turned entrepreneur who disappeared in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. To many, the enigmatic

Thompson seemed to have single-handedly revived the industry. Even I have bought some of his accessories and souvenirs as presents over the years. In fact, I used to join the masses queuing up for garage sales held at the main store on Surawong Road. However, true credit for bringing Thai textiles to the fore belongs to one of history’s icons of style, HM Queen Sirikit.

Through her Support Foundation, as well as her various projects, HM has helped improve the lives of silk-weavers from far-flung villages nationwide. She has also directed consumer attention to high-quality Thai products. A multitude of annual sales and fairs see silk-lovers rushing en masse to purchase the best and finest silks selected by HM’s foundations, especially the award-winning pieces emblazoned with Royal Peacock logos.

NEWSLETTER CONTENT Page UNDER THE SPELL OF SILK 1 - 2

BEERALU LACE –

COLONIAL LEGACY OF SRI LANKA 4 - 5

HIMROO SHAWLS

AND PAITHANI SILK SARIS 5 – 7

WEAVING OF THE JALQ’A COMMUNITY 7-10

IN POTOLO, BOLIVIA

NOMADIC MANTLE OF THE

TURKMEN WOMEN 10 -14

IKAT IN UZBEKISTAN 15 - 22

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HM’s latest project saw the foundation of the museum of textiles on the grounds of the Grand Palace. The museum highlights her many endeavours and houses some of her royal costumes from the past, some in classic Thai style and others Western. Haute couture luminaries, such as Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior, and Givenchy, made some of the most magnificent of the collection. With designers like that, it is no wonder HM Queen Sirikit frequently landed on the International Best-Dressed List.

In line with popular sentiment, I used to think that Thai silks were too clingy to wear in the subtropical Thai climate. They were also hard to take care of and not suitable for daily wear. I watched my parents don silk like armour before they would attend formal functions, such as religious rites at temples, weddings, receptions, funeral wakes, and cremations. My father would dress up in a “Seua Phrarajathan” made from ikat silk, a dead ringer for the ones worn by former Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, while my mother would appeal to traditional feminine sensibilities in pastel or gemstone shades of silk tube skirts matched with lace blouses.

When I was eleven, my mother gave me my first piece of silk from Jim Thompson. I had it made into a shirt and wore it until it was threadbare. I was officially converted. Since then, I have fallen under a silk spell. Similar to tailored suits, silk apparel feels soft and supple on skin. The material flows alluringly. It is iridescent, light,

comfortable, and versatile. I use silk and ethnic clothing for all kinds of occasions. For decades, my “uniform” has been a shirt worn with a pair of silk fisherman’s trousers. The look has come to define my signature style. For official events, I wear a silk shirt-jacket that looks a lot like the attire my father used to wear. As they say, one eventually turns into one’s parents. It’s only a matter of time.

Recently, younger generations have reinterpreted Thai national costumes for their fashion repertoire. Patriotism is stylishly expressed in silks and accessorized with gold jewellery for a splash of contemporary flair. This national costume craze first occurred in 1997, when the regional economy crashed. After being bombarded by designer fashion in the 80s and 90s, we revisited our roots and rediscovered the beauty of silk — of wearing something Thai again. High society ladies and hipsters have begun to shop and appear at parties dressed to the nines in classic Thai style, be it jongkrabaen (similar to the Indian dhoti), jeepnhanang (a tube skirt with a pleated front), or sarongs.

While the backlash against high design doubles as a celebration of Thai culture, still I wonder. Will this trend will be as ephemeral as the lifecycle of the silkworm?

This article originally appeared as the Tom’s Two Satang column in Bangkok 101, August 2015.

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Fall 2017

BEERALU LACE – COLONIAL LEGACY

OF SRI LANKA

Thweep Rittinaphakorn

Old photograph of Ceylonese lace makers

For those of you who are fond of textiles and woven materials, lace is highly likely to be on your list. The work of countless numbers of threads that entwine into an intricate net featuring various opulent designs is beyond anyone’s imagination as to how it is achieved.

It is one of the coincidences during my last trip to Sri Lanka that I had the chance to see the traditional lace-making there. To most people’s awareness, lacemaking is generally associated with European cultures and countries. Finding lacemaking in this South Asian land famous for tea and Buddhism is definitely an intriguing encounter.

It all started when I found a large tub in one of the antique stores located in the vicinity of Galle, filled with small antique lacemaking wooden bobbins. Through the conversation with the antique storeowner, I learned that there has been lacemaking in this place for a long time. On the very same day when I went back to the hotel, I found an old photograph hung on the wall of the lobby depicting a group of Ceylonese ladies sitting on the ground making lace. That heightened my curiosity even more.

Through my search for information I discovered that there is still lacemaking that thrives among some communities in this area.

A tub filled with old lacemaking bobbins

Lace produced in Sri Lanka

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Lacemaking on this island is not a recently introduced craft. It has been around for hundreds of years. The craft was believed to be introduced by the Portuguese who ruled the coastal area of the island during the 16th century. The production centered on the southern coastal towns near the port cities, such as Galle

Although introduced by the Portuguese in those days, lacemaking was practiced by both Portuguese and Dutch ladies. It was then taught to the Sinhalese aristocratic ladies before spreading to the masses. The production in the old days was labor-intensive and the lace maker had to master the craft to a superior level of skill in order to produce a large sheet of lace by manipulating hundreds of small bobbins. The early clientele groups for lace were Western ladies, before the fashion and demand spread to the local people. Lace back then was used as trimming for blouses as well as for head cloths, umbrella embellishments, etc.

The next morning I found my way into the small lacemaking workshop in the suburb of Galle. Watching and carefully observing the making of such a craft was an overwhelming experience that filled me with awe. I was observing two hands, so brisk in manipulating many bobbins, as if automatic without being conscious of the movement, crossing, tying, weaving, braiding all the threads, winding them around the small pins that mark the outline of the design, resulting in a delicate lace ribbon. This was definitely a mnemonic!

Through this observation I had no doubt why at one point this craft almost became extinct. It is one of the most extremely difficult tasks to learn and master. It is labor-intensive and requires the practice of much concentration before one can do it well. Given the challenge that it is and due to the lack of interest, lacemaking lost its popularity over time.

Fortunately, there has been a recent revival among a few communities in towns in the Weligama area along the southern coast. Skilled old craftswomen were identified and called upon to teach volunteers who showed interest in learning. At the moment, lacemaking in Sri Lanka has made its way back and the industry is growing organically. Lace has been designed and incorporated into a wider variety of products, including clothing and linens, making it more appealing and marketable to visitors.

The craft of lace-making

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The numerous bobbins used in lacemaking

HIMROO SHAWLS AND PAITHANI SILK SARIS OF MAHARASHTRA

Ruth Gerson

Himroo brocade weave, front and back of the cloth

Himroo shawls are woven brocades that are typical to the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra. This ancient style of weaving was introduced to the area in the 14th century during the reign of Muhamad Tughlaq when he moved his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, not far from Aurangabad, bringing many weavers with him. The weave they produced was characteristic of the Persian technique known as kamkhab meaning ‘little dreams’ in which silk and pure gold and silver threads were used, and indeed the early shawls in Aurangabad had this method applied. When the city’s prosperity declined and people could no longer afford gold and silk, the weavers began substituting less expensive materials such as cotton and only silver threads, producing the Himroo. Himroo is a Persian word which means ‘similar’, because the new Himroo textile replicated the original Persian kamkhab. These luxurious fabrics were made mostly for the royal families and for nobility.

ABOUT US The Thai Textile Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of textiles, with particular emphasis on the textiles of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Based in Bangkok, the Thai Textile Society was founded in 2004. Since its inaugural meeting in May, 2004, the Society has organized regular lectures, trips, and other programs such as its popular Collector’s Corner series. The Society thanks the Siam Society and the James H.W.Thompson Foundation plus the NMV for their support. Under the leadership of President Dr. Sathirakorn Pongpanich, the Society continues to host regular educational programs designed to promote appreciation of Asia’s rich textile heritage. The Thai Textile Society welcomes articles from our members and readership. Please request Guidelines for Submission of articles at: bkk.tts@@gmail.com

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Today the weaving industry thrives again around Aurangabad, Producing textiles, mostly brocades that are a blend of cotton and silk which are grown locally and giving the material a shiny satin finish. Weaving Himroo is mainly for shawls and veils, these textiles display unique designs with bold colors and patterns, and are treasured at wedding ceremonies even today. These textiles are also used for vests, coats and home furnishing.

Himroo textiles of cotton brocade today include handloom work as well as machines woven. The hand woven Himroo are made on a throw shuttle loom using cotton warp and silk weft. The designs are selected at the beginning of the process, as two kinds of threads are used. These are mostly in geometric and floral designs, many favoring the intricate creeper designs.

Border and pallu of Paithani sari, woven in gold

Not far from Aurangabad is the Paithani Silk Weaving Centre, established by the Indian government in recent years, although weaving in Paithan had been going on for the past two millennia. The town is located 56 km south of Aurangabad, a place that has been active since ancient historic times. It is a major weaving center in India, still using the old techniques of weaving in silver and gold threads and continues

to adapt motifs derived from the not too distant Ajanta Caves. In the far past it had been an international trade center for silk and zari (gold thread), and it seems to have been a continuous weaving center where new styles were learned through the interaction with of its various denizens, both Hindu and Muslim.

The Paithani saris are named after the region where they are woven. Made of fine silk and gold, their production has evolved from cotton base to silk base. In the past cotton was used as warp and silk was woven in as weft designs and in the borders. Today there is no trace of cotton in the Paithani saris. A sari can weigh anywhere from 1.5 kg and up, depending on the weight of the silk and zari that are used. In this weaving technique, the loom is often prepared to weave two saris at one time, at the length of 11.5 meters for both. It takes about one day to thread the loom with silk and ready it for weaving. Weaving can take from 18 to 24 months depending on the intricacy of the design.

Women weaving Paithani sari

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Saris for sale at the Paithani Weaving Center

The most common weaving technique of these saris is tapestry weave, in two different methods. Split tapestry weave in which two weft threads are woven into the warp and then reversed, and in interlocking weave where two weft threads of two different colors interlock with each other to create a color change, often interlocking with zari. A third and more complex method is dove-tailing when two threads wind around the same warp, one above the other looking like a dove’s tail.

The body of the sari is woven with traditional motifs, some influenced by the Buddhist paintings of Ajanta, as well as flowers, creepers, peacocks, parrots, leaves and stars. While expert weavers create the body of the sari, master weavers prepare the intricate borders and the pallu (the loose end of the sari that drapes over the shoulder) using much gold thread. And so continues the tradition of weaving in Paithan that dates back over 2000 years ago

WEAVING OF THE JALQ’A COMMUNITY IN POTOLO, BOLIVIA

Earl Kessler The Andes of South America are home to many communities that have evolved extraordinary weavings for personal and ceremonial use. I was first aware of this decades ago as a Peace Corps volunteer in the mountains of Colombia and bought a ruana, as ponchos are called there. The image below is of the one I purchased and it served me well - in the storms, the lanolin that is still in the wool shed the water like off a duck. Another piece, the beautiful scarf from Cuenca, Ecuador is a very sophisticated effort in weaving that is ikat at its best, finished with a delicate fringe. However, what I would like to present are weavings from a remote and relatively unknown group - the Jalq’a living in the Potolo area of Bolivia high in the Cordillera de los Frailes of the Andes.

Wool Ruana from Huila, Colombia

Living above the altitude of 13,000 feet is considered by the United Nations detrimental to the functioning of the brain, but these groups have occupied these areas for time immemorial. What the women have produced is a highly sophisticated weaving technology that displays

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their beliefs and demonstrates their skills and creativity in representing a cosmology of beasts

and mythical figures called “khurus”. The stylized animals and figures may relate to pre-Colombian burial cloths. The elaborate costume consists of a prescribed set of garments configured on the person for utility and fashion. The usual garment consists of an urku (skirt), awayo (square shoulder carrying cloth), lliclla (mantle), aksu (overskirt), cañara (belt) and dress made of bayeta, - wool yardage hand spun and woven on a treadle loom - and other hats and belts and carry bags.

Ikat Scarf from Cuenca, Ecuador

What is woven into the garments is anything but prescribed. The Jalq’a ancient geometric patterns have been replaced by figures from their phantasmagorical spirit world known as Ukhu Pacha, the locus of the world’s creative energy, “a space of constant gestation of life.” There are, however, few existing old weavings of the Jalq’a, for it is believed that they were buried in their finest garments. These works of art were brought to light during the early 1970’s when the outside world descended on traditional Bolivia.

While the imagery is what many find so special, it is the weaving technology that also deserves a mention. In the catalogue from the Bolivian Highland Weaving exhibit at the Textile Museum in Toronto in 1978, Louis Girault presents the complex set of natural Bolivian textile dyes. I include these to show just how inventive the weavers and dyers were/are in making the most of a very limited set of resources, the distances traveled through a very difficult terrain, and the elaborate trade routes developed to create the color pallet the different communities use. The Jalq’a have a distinctive black/brown and red set of colors with highlights of blue, green and gold in their work. The images shown demonstrate the free-form patterns and the stylized creatures conjured by the women. The weave is plain, usually in stripes with pattern bands in double-faced weave using complementary warp sets. The designs are in one color on one side of the weaving and the reverse side is the same pattern but a different color.

Girault presents the following: Yellows 1. Kellu chchuru (Berberis lutea) bark. From the high valleys between 3,400 and 3,600 meters. 2. Chchejche (Berberis lutea) bark. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2,000 meters 3. Karwinchu (Argemone Mexicana) flowers. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. 4. Yanali (Bocconia pearcei) leaves and seeds. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters. 5. Mastuerzo (Tropaeolum majus) stems. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. 6. Itapallo (Urtica urens and dioica) roots. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3700 meters. 7. Ttara (Caesalpinia tinctoria) fruit. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters.

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8. Pika pika (Polygonum hydropiperoides) leaves. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. 9. Rroke (Colletia spinossissima) bark. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. 10. Chinchanko (Hypericum elatum) leaves. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. 11. Chamanuai (Eupatorium volkensii) stems. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. 12. Mayu chilka (Baccharis polyantha) From the high valleys between 3400 and 3700 meters. 13. Chilka (Baccharis prostate) leaves and stems. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3700 meters. 14. Llampu kjana (Sonchus oleracus) leaves and stems. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3700 meters. 15. Mulli (Schinus molle) leaves. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. 16. Kaka unku (Usnea barbata) the entire plant. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. Browns 1. Kentu (Rumex cuneifolius) roots. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3700 meters. 2. Nogal (Juglans neotropica) leaves. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. Orange 1. Anchurapa (Cassia obovata) leaves. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. Reds 1. Achoite (Bixa orellana) seeds. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters. 2. Papelillo (Rocella sp.) the entire plant. Above 4000 meters. 3. Puka chchapi (Rubia tinctorium) stems and roots. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters.

4. Wamanpinta (Chuquiraga sp.) flowers. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. 5. Achira (Canna edulis) seeds. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. Greens 1. Kimsa kuchu (Baccharis genistelloides) stems and flowers. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters. 2. Hachcha chilka (Baccharis latifolia) leaves. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. 3. Itapallo (Urtica urens and dioica) roots. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3700 meters. Blues 1. Ayapana (Eupatorium ayapana) leaves. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 1800 meters. 2. Platanillo (Indigofera suffruticosa) leaves. From the tropical region of Santa Cruz. 3. Ppiti ppiti (Cestrum tinctorium) stems. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3400 meters. 4. Mullaka (Muhelenbeckia fructiculosa) flowers. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. Violets 1. Sauco (Sambucus nigra) fruit. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. 2. Wayau (Salix humboldtiana) bark. From the subtropical valleys of Camata at 2000 meters. Blacks 1. Nogal (Juglans neotropica) bark and roots. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters. 2. Fosforos (Phrygilanthus longebreactus) leaves and stems. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3600 meters. 3. Jayak chilka (Eupatorium pentlandianum) leaves and stems. From the high valleys between 3400 and 3700 meters. 4. Aliso (Alnus jorullensis) bark. From the high valleys between 3200 and 3600 meters.

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Certain colors were produced by mixing the vegetable dyes, but only similar shades were mixed. That is, to get a certain shade of yellow, one could mix karwinchu flowers with mastuerzo stems or ttara fruits, in different proportions. This same process could be done with greens, violets, browns, and blacks but not, it seems, in blues and reds.”

Potolo Weaving in typical colors with stylized animals in an asymmetrical design

Detail of Potolo stylized animals from a man’s capote poncho

NOMADIC MANTLE OF THE TURKMEN WOMEN

Donna Dingle

Traditional coat (chirpy) - Yellow indicates status a married

woman’s

Today Turkmenistan is an independent country, bordered to the west by the Caspian Sea, with Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast and Iran to the southwest. The traditional order of the Turkmen tribes were Teke (Tekke), Yomut (Yomud), Saryk (Saryq), Chowdur (Choudur), and Arsary (Ersary). During the 19th to the late 20th century Turkmenistan was one of the five Soviet republics in Central Asia. The breakup of the USSR brought on the formation of an independent Turkmenistan on 27 October 1991, and now approximately 85% of the Turkmen population lives there.

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The origins of the Turkic nomadic tribes perhaps dates back to about 2000 BCE. Around 1000 CE Islamized Turkic tribes began to call themselves Turkmen and some continue their traditional nomadic ways today in Turkmenistan. The Turkmen tribes liked color and wore dress that was similar in style, yet with varying embroidery designs, depending on what region of Turkmenistan the maker lived in. From earliest times, there has been a deep rooted tradition with women weaving, and embroidering throughout some of the tribes. As part of their role in Turkmen nomadic society, this creativity and skill had a prominent part in increasing the woman’s social status outside the home.

The basic dress of the Turkmen woman consisted of a loose fitting long dress (Kynek), trousers (Balag) that were worn under the dress, a house/cover coat (Kurte), a head/hair covering (young girls with an embroidered skull cap), and a mantle or cape (Chyrpy) worn outside in public and at celebrations

#1 Red Kurte coat embroidery on edges and sleeves

#2 Indigo Kurte coat back side embroidery at edgesand sleeves

The color of the Chyrpy differed for the status of the wearer. Young women wore a dark indigo or green Chyrpy married women wore a yellow, saffron color; women over sixty a white color.

l. back Indigo Chyrpy - Young woman’s coat R. front

Early Unfinished Green Chyrpy

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L. Back Saffron Yellow Chrypy for married woman R. Front

White Chyrpy 20 century senior woman’s coat

Elder womens traditional white chyrpy 19”century **

**From website: http://www.turkotek.com “A Turko Tec discussion forum” 2004 Originial Photos from book - Arts and Crafts of Turkestan by Johannes Kalter (Author) Embroidery varied in its range of colors and motifs between tribes, but floral and geometric motifs stayed common for all groups. The same

style of embroidery was featured on the dress (Kynek) and was generally sewn in a wide pattern around the neck following in a downward U shape on the front of the dress towards the waist. Old pieces sometimes had silver pendants of a small size on the dress. The trousers (Balag) had a wide band of embroidery at the ankles. The house/cover coat (Kurte) had a wide pattern embroidery around the neck, down both front lapels and around the bottom, half way up the side seams and on the cuffs of the sleeves.

The Chyrpy was made of silk/cotton with a cotton lining. The embroidery was hand done, normally embroidered with fine natural silk thread in colors of red, white, yellow, dark blue and sometimes green. The bottom of the coat was finished with a handmade woven silk band and intertwined silk tassels.

Handmade woven silk band and intertwined silk tassels

Floral and geometric patterns covered most of the Chyrpy, the most common design being a tulip (L𝑎𝑎𝑎)

Tulip embroidery design

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Some say it was an amulet for fertility, while others say all women’s Chyrpy have some sort of pattern or protection (amulets) stitched into or attached to them. Other patterns/motifs that were stitched on these mantles were: rhombuses (diamond shaped patterns) around the collar, pishme, (a Turkmen snack served at celebrations, tree of life (the center of Islamic paradise), plus a fish pattern to bring good fortune and protection. Some people would agree with these descriptions others would disagree. Most Turkmen embroidery on the chyrpy was established in the firm belief that the design in the needlework provided shamanistic protection throughout childhood, marriage, and motherhood of the maker.

L. Rhombuses (diamond shaped patterns)

Rams Horns

Possibly Motifs representing pieces of jewelry of brides

wealth or birds wings

Tree of life - Center of Islamic paradise

Jewelry pieces showing wealth or amulets sewn on the

chirpy

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All Chyrpy have long type false sleeves that drape from the rear shoulder down the back. The back and front of the garment is covered almost completely in embroidery.

False sleeves that drape from the rear shoulder down backs of chyrpy

Turkmen women embroidered with an intertwined silk stitch creating small stitched patterns. The nomadic Teke embroiderer predominately used a lacing stitch “Kesdi”, plus

occasionally a couching stitch or stem stitch for outlining and a back stitch. The Yomut embroiderers mostly used a chain stitch as a feature on their embroidery and sometimes the stem stitch is worked in on the chain stitch area.

The Chyrpy were lined with either Central Asian block printed cotton (chit) or a Russian machine made print cotton. Markets were full of the printed cotton from Russia in the late 1900s, but before that there were weavers and block printers in the area who produced the Central Asian Chit. The base cloth was woven on hand looms and printed with hand carved wooden blocks. After the influx of Russian cotton, Chit almost became nonexistent but it has now seen a revival by many Central Asians who are interested in their textile heritage.

Printed cotton Russian Market Central Asian block printed cotton chit

This newsletter is distributed free to TTS members and subscribers, and it is accessible free to all website visitors in the hopes of encouraging interest and scholarship in textiles and is the sole property of TTS. Personal opinions expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Thai Textile Society.

It is Published twice a year.

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IKAT IN UZBEKISTAN Jenny L. Spancake

Photos by Jenny L. Spancake

Looms with warp ikat

Ikat is a textile technique with which I believe all of the members of the Thai Textile Society are familiar. We see it often in Thailand and surrounding areas but mostly with weft ikat pha sins and other longer cloths. I hope to introduce our members in this article to a different practice of ikat which has a long history in Central Asia and more specifically in Uzbekistan. I have traveled to Uzbekistan twice, once in 2009 with the Textile Society of America, and again earlier this year with a tour to Central Asia. On both trips I traveled with fellow Thai Textile Society member, Donna Dingle, and on the second my husband Steve also accompanied us. All of the photos in this article were taken in 2009.

Most of the warp ikat with which Thai Textile Society members are familiar is made from cotton and woven in insular Indonesia such as Sumba, Flores, Timor or other locations.Indonesian warp ikat can be seen with big bold patterns or with much smaller more detailed ones as well. Central Asia, specifically Uzbekistan, also uses big bold dynamic patterns that after you have seen a few are easily recognizable.

Weaver at loom Loom with warp ikat

Recently the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston exhibited about a third of the wonderful collection donated to the Textile Museum in Washington D.C. by Murad Megalli. This extensive collection, mostly of coats, was presented in a major exhibition at the Textile Museum in 2010 and was accompanied by a well-illustrated catalog by Sumru Belger Krody entitled Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats. I was fortunate to be able to attend the opening of that exhibit as well as the conference that accompanied it. The information presented in this article comes from that catalog and conference, from another important publication entitled Ikat: Silks of Central Asia by Kate Fitz Gibbon and Andrew Hale, and my two trips to the region.

Reproduction of life in a rich merchant’s house

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The first mention of this specific textile of Central Asia made from adras, the most common descriptive local term for the fabric we will be discussing, was in 1812 in a report by Mir Izzatullah, a spy for the British in the Great Game of the nineteenth century. Ikats were produced in Central Asia before that time but this is our first concrete documentary evidence. Carried by Silk Road caravans throughout history, ikats made of silk, wool and cotton were famous in both the East and the West. The earliest ikat produced in Central Asia extant today was found in an archaeological dig in Astana, Xinjiang, China, specifically in a cemetery site outside Turpan, and is dated to the 4th to 9th centuries C.E. Another piece of Central Asian origin, an all silk warp ikat, is in the treasury of the Horiyu-ji in Nara, Japan, dated to around the 6th-7th century C.E. Currently, these fragments are our only clues as to the beginnings of ikat in Central Asia. In fact, we know very little about the origin of ikat in general. Some scholars speculate that it may have in fact originated in Central Asia but there is a high probability that it evolved independently in several areas.

Collecting Central Asian ikats began in the nineteenth century. One important collection of these is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. Robert Shaw collected it in 1868; it has been studied by Ruth Barnes. With a number of other dated donations to museums it is possible to reach some conclusions on structure and design in the history of ikat. There are today three important western collections: that in the Textile Museum mentioned above, the Guido Goldman collection discussed in the book Ikat by Fitz Gibbon and Hale, and the collection of Mehmet Cetinkaya cataloged in 99 Chapans by Mr. Cetinkaya.

When we do begin to know more about ikat in Uzbekistan after the first mention as noted above, it is because in the early nineteenth century ikat production began to exist on a

commercial scale particularly in the city of Bukhara. It was then for the most part a man’s job. Today ikat production has shifted to the Fergana Valley, especially Marghilan. And today women are often weavers. Textiles in ikat were produced for the following uses: to cover cushions and floor mats, to use as horse blankets, to trim clothing, to line costly items embroidered in silver and gold thread, as wall hangings, and as coats for both men and women, chapans. To make these items a number of different types of cloth were woven. Ikat is known in Central Asia as abr-bandi or sometimes seen as just abr. Abri is a Persian word that means cloud. The most popular type woven was adras, consisting of a silk warp with a cotton weft woven to be warp faced. The silk warp threads are then more visible creating a clear ikat pattern.

Quilted ikat chapan

Rather than being produced by court sponsored craftsmen, these textiles were produced by guilds, each of which controlled a particular area of manufacture. There is little specific information on how the guilds operated however. Except for those who specialized in tying the ikat pattern into the warp threads the

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other guilds would have worked on all types of textiles, including ikat.

Tying the warp ikat Close up of ties

Tying the warp ikat

Warp tied and ready to be placed on loom

These specialized functions would include the spinning of cotton thread, the production of silk including silk reeling, the dyeing of fabrics, the manufacture of looms and other necessary aspects of the production of textiles.

Boiling silk cocoons

As Uzbekistan produced both cotton and silk from an early date, both these fibers were available for use, particularly in adras. There is a great deal of specific historical detail provided in Ikat by Fitz Gibbon and Hale noted above for anyone interested.

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Ikat velvet chapan

Also produced during this period was luxurious silk velvet, known as baghmal. Velvet ikat is difficult and time consuming to weave.

Velvet

It consists of two warp systems; one undyed forms the foundation of the fabric while the

second warp is resist dyed with the ikat pattern. After every two or three wefts are woven, a wire is inserted instead of the weft. The thread of the warp is raised by the wire forming loops. One more weft is passed to secure the wire.

Wires for creating velvet

After a number of wires have been inserted a knife or similar tool is used to cut the loops freeing the wires and creating the raised pile of velvet.

Cutting to create the velvet pile

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Weaving velvet. Note the inserted wires to create the pile.

Ikat velvet was only produced from the late 1850s until about 1910 and seems to have been made only in Bukhara. But today a revival is occurring in the Fergana valley. One master weaver Rasuljon Mirzaahmedov has a workshop producing luxurious velvet for the modern world.

Ikat in Uzbekistan is woven in fairly narrow strips of about 10-24 inches (25-60 cm). If you look at wall hangings you can easily see the strips fitted together to create the width of wall hanging desired. Additionally, in garments tailored from ikat, the narrow loom widths are easily spotted. It is estimated that given the time to dye the thread and the need to continually adjust the warp on the loom to keep the pattern correctly positioned, it probably took one to two months to weave a standard length of adras on the traditional hand loom.

L. Loom with warp ikat / R. Weighting down the warp on the loom

Ikat wall hanging

Ikat wall hanging

Adras dominated the production of ikat during the first half of the nineteenth century and then disappeared after the turn of the century. Replacing it in popularity was an all silk textile known as atlas or khanatlas. Now both the warp and the weft were silk and satin weave

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predominated. The weft was passed under 4, 5 or 7 warps producing a smooth, unbroken texture with a high gloss. This technique required the use of four heddles on the loom. The ikat pattern is very clearly defined on one side due to the weave structure. The modern version of atlas is the official national fabric of Uzbekistan.

Ikat for sale

Ikats of atlas and adras were often finished with a high gloss. This can be seen on a number of items when seen on display, sometimes with only parts of the fabric retaining the finish due to age. The finish could consist of egg whites or a special glue which was applied to the surface or by beating the surface with a heavy wooden mallet while the fabric was placed on a wooden surface. Both wooden items, the mallet and the surface, had convex faces creating a watered effect. Today this is often done with large machines. When the Soviet Union controlled Uzbekistan factory made textiles began to dominate the market particularly after World War II. Synthetic fibers began to be used and printed imitation ikats were common. Crafts such as the production of ikat were discouraged throughout much of Soviet rule. However, during the 1970s, a slow revival of workshops began in the

Fergana valley. After Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991 interest in traditional crafts began to surge. The new government offered tax breaks for craft workshops and international organizations such as UNESCO, the British Council, and the U.S. based Aid to Artisans helped begin the training of craftsmen and women. As time passed, ikat began to flourish in the Fergana valley. Modern Uzbek designers used the fabric in nontraditional ways and in reinterpretations of the traditional.

Modern fashion in Uzbekistan

In 2009 we attended several fashion shows which featured ikat as an important part of the collections shown. Also at the beginning of the 21st century courtier houses including Hermes also used ikat, some of which was woven in the Fergana valley. The production of native silk was also encouraged.

Modern fashion in Uzbekistan

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On our trip in 2017 we unfortunately did not visit the Fergana valley so did not see how weaving was continuing to evolve in Uzbekistan. What we saw for sale in the tourist areas of the country such as Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva were often good ikat but for tourist sale produced mostly in 100% cotton. In 2009 we saw much produced in adras or atlas but not in 2017. Whether this was a function of where we were or whether the market just will not bear the price for more expensive fibers cannot be answered from my recent travels. In historical exhibitions of dress in Uzbekistan the paranja, a garment used to cover a woman’s face with the coat made from various fabrics is sometimes featured. One constant in the paranja was the veil section made from woven horsehair.

Back of paranja Paranja

Paranja

Although obviously not ikat, the practice of embroidery in Uzbekistan is rightly famous and very collectible and as such I cannot ignore the beautiful modern ones. All over embroidered textiles known as suzanis can be used as a bed cover or a wall hanging. The craft of embroidering suzanis has been revitalized as well as ikat. A closeup shows the embroidery technique

Closeup of suzani; note embroidery technique

Silk is often used as the embroidery thread on a cotton base; today some practitioners are using traditional natural dyes that add a great deal to the finished product.

Suzanis for sale

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Suzanis for sale

Dye pot

Natural dyed silk for embroidering suzanis

What was most interesting both in traveling in Uzbekistan or attending the exhibitions in Washington D.C. and Houston was the number of people saying, “these patterns are so contemporary!” This aspect of textile study is to me always one of the most fascinating ones. Designs we think are so modern almost always have a very long history. I encourage all readers

to look at the books cited above hopefully available in local libraries (in Bangkok try the library at the Jim Thompson Foundation, a wonderful resource often overlooked). The pages are filled with vibrant color and design, a window into another world of time and space, but also one being continued into today.

Ikat chapan Ikat chapan

Suzani Modern suzani

Modern suzani