NEWSLETTER Vol. III No. 2 Spring, 2016

TTS Activity Comments by Khun Thweep Rittinaphakorn (AKE) ABOUT US following his presentation to the Thai Textile Society, March 14, 2016 The Thai Textile Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of textiles, with particular Chinese Shan Dressing: emphasis on the textiles of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Based in Bangkok, the Thai An eclectic intermarriage between Tai and Chinese Cultures Textile Society was founded in 2004 when Kathleen Forance Johnson, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Darryl Johnson, invited scholars, collectors, and other textile enthusiasts to establish a society dedicated to the study, appreciation, and preservation of the textile arts in the kingdom and the region. An avid weaver and textile collector, Mrs. Johnson envisioned the Society as a forum for textile lovers to exchange ideas and share information and resources. 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 TTS enjoys and appreciates support from the Siam Society and the James H.W. Thompson Foundation. It has also worked closely with the latter on programs such as the August 2005 Jim Thompson textile symposium. Membership in the Thai Textile Society has grown steadily, and our e- mailing list now reaches more than 400 people worldwide. Under the leadership of Acting President Dr. Sathirakorn Pongpanich, the Society continues to host Khun Ake addressing TTS members at William Warren Library, Jim Thompson compound Photo Ruth regular educational programs designed to Gerson promote appreciation of Asia’s rich textile heritage. DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is distributed free to TTS members and The Chinese Shan are known by various names including Tai Nuea, Tai Mao, Shan-Tayok, Dehong Tai, Tran- subscribers, and it is accessible free to all Salween Shan, etc. Although most of the names might sound unfamiliar, they certainly provide one with clues website visitors in the hopes of encouraging about them. As some of these names indicate, this Shan or Tai ethnic group lives at the area where China and interest and scholarship in textiles and is Burma meet. It is today in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province, China. Back the sole property of TTS. Personal opinions then, before the current political boundary was drawn, this borderline area of upper Burma and China known expressed in this newsletter are strictly as Shan State was always the strategic frontier where political powers, trades, economy and cultures were those of the authors and are not necessarily exchanged. This resulted in the intermarriage of Burmese with Shan and Chinese cultures creating a unique endorsed by the Thai Textile Society. Our blend. Particularly, in the area of Shweli River and deep into Dehong area on the Chinese side, the fusion website can be accessed at culture of Chinese Shan is strongly visible in terms of language, architecture, as well as the dressing style. www.thaitextilesociety.org. Chinese Shan costumes, particularly those of women, are interesting examples of how the two cultures (Shan and Chinese) crossbred.

The tradition of Tai apparel, such as tube skirts, is mixed with Chinese style adornment and adaptations. The most outstanding items in the repertoire are the women’s festive skirts worn during festivals and weddings. These provide a stunning sight to those who have seen these skirts. They have profuse, eclectic, and gaudy decorations incorporating different materials and embellishment techniques, unlike any other kind. The base of the skirts is always made up of black cotton. At the bottom, 1-3 small narrow bands of the same material are attached. However, positioned at the knee level area of the skirt is the large decorative band acting like the centerpiece. This opulent looking wide band is usually made up of series of rectangular pieces of textiles sewn together. Different colors of Chinese silk satin and brocade are interspaced with the rectangular pieces of locally woven supplementary weave fabrics. The lower part of this wide band is further decorated with smaller panels of Chinese style embroidery work depicting flowers, butterflies, and other, mostly Chinese auspicious symbols. Not least, at the very bottom of this big decorative band, a small band of miniature appliqué work is attached. Such appliqué work is incredibly fine, depicting the repeated swastika or other Chinese auspicious sign.

Small band of miniature appliqué at the bottom Photo Khun Ake

HEADER: Nan Supplementary weft, tapestry weave in Nam Lai Flowing Water motif Photo John Toomey

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The talk was presented to the Thai Textile Society audiences with several pieces of photographic evidence taken at the turn of the century, gleaned from old books, as well as from early traveling memoirs. Information from those sources shed lights for better understanding on the dressing practice of the Chinese Shan. Added to the photographs was physical material evidence of garments, drawn from the speaker’s own collection and presented at the talk.

Photo Ruth Gerson

Shan Apparel

Small band of miniature appliqué at the bottom Photo Ruth Gerson

More images for some articles in the TTS Newsletter and TTS events can be found in the Photo Gallery of our Website: http://thaitextilesociety.org/gallery.php

Kindly ask permission before you use any and acknowledge the Shan Dress Photo Khun Ake creators and send us a copy or notice of your work.

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NEWSLETTER Vol. III No. 2 Spring, 2016

CHANDERI SARIS

Ruth Gerson

Woman weaving on a pit loom A buyer examining the fine weave Photo Ruth Gerson Photo Ruth Gerson

A hundred years later Hindus and tribal people who had moved to In India’s hot climate the sari has been the dress mode for women for Chanderi joined the community of weavers who had acquired the name centuries. The style of weaving, use of materials and designs vary Koshi, the Marathi word for weaver. The cotton woven there was of the from region to region. In the central state of Madhya Pradesh there most exquisite quality rivaling the finest Indian muslins. In the past are two such distinct styles – the Maheshwari sari and the Chanderi Chanderi produced the raw materials used for weaving, i.e. cotton, silk Sari. While the Maheshwari saris are woven mainly of cotton with and zari (gold or silver threads), although some of these were possibly distinct designs of stripes, checks and floral borders, the Chanderi brought to Chanderi by merchants who traveled the ancient trade routes saris are a weave of cotton and silk, a cool combination of materials on which the town was situated. that enables the wearer to withstand the high temperatures of the central Indian summers that often rise above 40 degrees centigrade. Most saris were woven of the delicate locally grown cotton threads. Then The design of these saris include patterns of fruits, flowers, leaves in the 19th century, the British introduced mill spun cotton. The weavers and birds all evocative of the local nature. however did not like this kind of thread as it lacked the natural sheen of the raw home spun cotton and began looking for alternate sources. And Historically Chanderi was located on ancient trade routes and its so the Chanderi weavers became innovative, weaving newly introduced saris reflect the influence of the numerous cultures that had passed Japanese silk threads with the cotton ones to produce the famed there. The designs and weaving methods have evolved over time, but gossamer Chanderi sari. Today these materials are brought in from other these were always well received by the public especially by nobility parts of India, as well as from China, Japan and Korea. Although Chanderi and royalty who cherished the incredibly light weight quality of the silk is dyed both through natural and chemical processes, chemical dyes mixed weave that was pleasant to wear as well as being suitable for are preferred due to their fast acting quality. the intense heat of the region. As these saris were historically favored by queens, they were exclusive and very expensive even in Traditional looms are still used including upright looms and pit-looms that Medieval India, thriving under the royal patronage, their glossy are sunk in the floor. Although there are many looms operating in Chanderi, transparency and sheer texture giving pleasure to the wearer. During the hallmark fabrics of this village are woven on traditional rudimentary pit- the Mughal period weaving and selling woven fabrics reached its looms. It takes a single weaver about two weeks and a pair of weavers height. It is told that a Chanderi woven cloth was presented to the working together one week to weave a sari. The length of sari varies from Mughal emperor Akbar, placed inside the hollow part of a bamboo 4.5 to 8 meters although the 5-meter length seems most commonly worn, stick. It was so fine and delicate that when fully drawn out it was with width of 60 centimeters to 1.2 meters. large enough to cover an elephant.

th Weaving in Chanderi was first recorded in the 13 Century, a craft that was possibly handed down to present day weavers. The first weavers were Muslims, as many are today in Chanderi.

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Indigo and More Indigo

Pit loom (Internet photo)

A master designer working out the details to be woven into the cloth Centuries-old techniques are still used to produce lightweight saris Photo Ruth Gerson with intricate borders working with cotton, silk and zari. The blend of silk and cotton is characteristic of the Chanderi weaves, applying silk for warp (long threads) and white cotton for the weft (short threads). The carefully worked borders are of delicate gold Zari embellished Indigo and More Indigo with small flower patterns inspired by the lotus bud and jasmine flower, or boteh (paisley) and two gold bands across the pallau (the shoulder piece).

As for the colors of these saris, until about half a century ago these were characteristically white. Later these were dyed with natural dyes such as saffron and in golden beige shade, still the most popular color of the Chanderi saris, and a hue which indentifies them. After chemical dyes were introduced the range of colors broadened vastly.

Generations of entire families of weavers were traditionally involved in this work, each specializing in a certain aspect of the craft. Some provide the pre-measured warp threads of silk while others provide the cotton weft. A master weaver ties the silk thread on the drum; another specializes in tying the strings across two sets of metal eyes, while another person works out the design that will be woven into the cloth. Today, complicated designs for high end saris are drawn on computers.

About 90% of the cloth woven in Chanderi is used for saris. Local traders used to help the weavers market their wares, and while these fine weaves fetched a high price in city stores, the weavers received just a small amount of their value.

Today the Indian government provides the weavers support in marketing through several organizations such as the Madhya Pradesh Handloom Weavers Cooperative, and the State Textile Corporation to ensure that the craft lives on. The year 2016 began with the Thai Textile Society’s emphasis on the wonderful blue dye – indigo. January saw a workshop of indigo dyeing, instructed by a master dyer from northeast Thailand. This was followed by an indigo movie in March, produced professionally in the United States, a program that attracted many young Thai designers, researchers and textile enthusiast. This proves the resurgence in popularity of the use of indigo dye.

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TOKYO’S AMAZING AMUSE TEXTILE The permanent exhibit of the museum is the collection of famed ethnologist and antiquarian Chuzaburo Tanaka, a native of Aomori MUSEUM OF THE PEOPLE Prefecture in the North of Japan’s main Honshu Island. The display Text and photos by John J.Toomey consists of Boro, the title of the collection meaning “rags”. In the snowy climes of the North, textiles were usually made of local hemp because cotton could not be cultivated there, so any rare cotton rags were not discarded, but recycled from generation to generation, some from as far back as the Edo period (1603-1868). Women layered cotton rag patches within hemp clothes for warmth.

Casing for a cotton Boro (recycled worn-out textile rags) Futon [thin wadded mattress (c.5 cms.) for sleeping on the floor]

A famous tourist site in Tokyo is the huge, glittering Sensoji, known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple. Appropriately, this sanctuary is dedicated to a small statue of Avalokitesvara (Kannon in Japanese), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in whom the lower classes of the Asakuksa area have taken refuge for centuries. The temple is located in the shita-machi, meaning Beauty of an undershirt for an elderly person “town under the castle”, with connotations of the quarters for the lower class, where the descendents of artisans who traditionally worked to serve Young women learned skills in weaving and sewing to enhance their the lords still live and ply their trades and sell their wares, but now to prospects of marriage, such as embroidering formal aprons (see everyone. The shita-machi spirit still reigns boisterously in the area, maekake below), sashiko stitching, tie-dyeing, kasuri double ikat, and populated by hard-nosed commercially minded, down-to-earth yet kind- brocade. For their families and themselves, women sewed work clothes hearted merchants and tradesmen. Here sumo wrestlers shop for special such as stretchy, tight-fitting undergarments made from old cotton, sized kimonos and tabi socks and now foreigners do the same. Two colossal wool, or silk kimonos, stuffed with cotton wadding against the cold. centuries-old dvarapala guardians look down fiercely in the direction of the Tabi split-toed socks and mittens also had to be thick and the women Amuse Textile Museum, just outside the Temple’s Niten Mon “Double hand-stitched them heavily for warmth and strength for working in the Guardian Gate”. fields and icy seas. Originally, they used hemp to make the under kimonos, and even after the introduction of cotton, they still used The Amuse Museum is dedicated to the culture of the peasant class who hemp for the upper torso panel because hemp stood out from the tilled the soil and fished the seas of northern Japan to feed the castle and body, keeping the sweat from clinging to clothes. the temple. They were much poorer than the merchants of Asakusa. This museum focuses on textiles of the North where cotton was a precious imported commodity, but essential for survival in their cold climate. This Padded tabi factor fostered the creation of special textiles employing unique methods of recycling and insulation.

L. Tanzen thick home wear for winter; R. Meriyasu padded underwear Upper Boro Tabi; Lower Boro mittens

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For their husbands’ work cloths to be used in the fields and on The elderly sewed their own adult diapers in preparation for when the seas, they fashioned jackets of two or three layers of they would become bed-ridden, piecing towels and other scraps quilted cotton, using sashiko stitching to bind and reinforce the together into bold, unintentionally delightful compositions. thickness of the layers and keep warmth in the garment, while Women made their own working kimonos from dozens of cotton embroidering unique designs on the sleeves, backs and hems, scraps which they patched together back and front and blending with the patterns already on the cotton. Thus they painstakingly mended when worn threadbare. Newborn babies created the now famous firemen’s and fishermen’s jackets were swaddled in them as a wish for health and long life. (see article on Hikeshibanten in TTS News, Vol II., No.1).

They also used hemp to sew seal and salmon skins for water-proof boots. Salmon’s fins were also sewn to the soles of the boots for traction, to prevent slipping on ice. Though children’s school uniforms were often machine- sewn in shops, Seal and Salmon Skin Boots mothers created birthing blankets, which bore generations of babies. They also pieced together babies’ cradles from soft, worn fabrics and lined them with rice straw that could be changed when soiled. The women wove rags into large sleeping comforters, their outer Woman's underskirt with ikat, Taisho Era surfaces woven from rags. For this thick hemp threads were used for the warp and recycled cotton threads as the weft. During the Taisho Era (1912-1926), the women wore a plain underskirt Hemp work clothes were used for the lining as well as the to which they sewed a wide ikat hem. The decoration would show from inner batting, accounting for their heavy weight, sometimes up under their light indigo hemp kimonos when walking or dancing at to eight kilograms. festivals, as the hem of the outer kimono would part just enough to show the decorative border of the underskirt.

L. Jiko baby cradles R. Adult diaper

Detail of sashiko (on L.) and kanako tie dye on festive kimono In the Tsugaru region, women used sashiko to make festive jackets for themselves, creating diamond patterns with white threads on an Indigo ground. Young women needed to make these as part of their trousseau. L. Woman’s working kimono distinguished by folded back triangular sleeves; R. Large Bed Comforter

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Women in the Nambu region used highly original sashiko to embroider their own work kimonos and underwear leggings. These In the rural Nambu district on the Pacific side of Aomori, people designs are not found elsewhere in the world. suffered from severe easterly winds and long harsh winters. In an attempt to stay warm, whole families slept together naked with skin- to-skin contact under one enormous donja kimono stuffed with sewn hemp and cotton and with hemp roughage. Before sleeping, straw was spread on the floor, and then a boro patchwork cloth was spread over it, and the donja was placed on top. The parents would lie in the middle surrounded by their children holding on to them. Since donja weighed up to eighteen kilograms, it was a strain for one person to move under them. People say there were no family quarrels in those days.

Detail of sashiko woman's underwear leggings with diamond pattern

Detail of sashiko on linen farmer’s kimono c. 1960s

Enormous Donja bedding kimono

L. Tsugarau kogin sashiko; R. Detail of sashiko on farmer’s kimono

Detail of the real apron Tsugaru Quilted sashiko tapestry white on navy blue worn by the film’s main character

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April 4 - September 28, 2014, the Amuse Textile Museum held a special display of unique sashiko aprons titled, Miraculous Textile Art—from Wisdom and Beauty Instincts of Women—The Important Tangible Folk-Cultural Properties: MAEKAKE APRONS of the Nambu. The aprons were suspended from the ceiling of a large hall so that they could be viewed from all angles and there were no glass plates to separate the viewer from the object enabling him to get close to these pieces. Each was accompanied by a hanging sheet of handmade washi mulberry paper elaborating the personal story of the woman who had made and/or owned the apron from girlhood through marriage and recognition of their work, to loss of eyesight, hardships, triumphs, sorrows and joys.

18-year-old Momi was married in 1919 into the Ebina family and brought with her an apron she had embroidered as part of her trousseau. Plum blossoms fill exclusively the diamond motifs of the apron which she often wore when going into town. Her relative Haru Still from Dreams Ebina’s girlhood apron is embroidered with plum blossoms, bird’s The famed film director Akira Kurosawa had asked Tanaka to lend footprints, cow saddles and fish scales, designs that served as a him some of his authentic farmer’s clothing from his BORO memory of her youth until she died at age 82. collection to use as costumes for his movie Dreams. The film was presented by Steven Spielberg and co-produced by Warner Brothers in 1990. The most noticeable piece of costume worn by the actors is the maekake festival apron with diamond motifs, exclusive to the Nambu district. One of the actual aprons worn by the main actor and stills from the film are on display in a special section of the museum where visitors may also try on Nambu garb. Young girls willingly untwisted strands of their colorful rare wool and cotton to make more, though thinner, strands to share with others. On bitterly cold winter nights, they used their benumbed naked legs as a board on which to do their needlework. Diamonds are woven by skipping every second warp thread in the weave. By varying the number of warp threads skipped, they could make other abstract motifs.

L. Shun Tanaka’s “Last Hurrah” National Important Cultural Property; R. Sayo Takahashi’s Large Black Hishizashi “Black Diamonds”, shaft feathers with centers of yellow cows’ saddles, bird's feet and fish scales, 1950s nylon-wool blend

One of the best apron makers Sayo Takahashi embroidered ten beautiful aprons in her girlhood and continued to make the aprons for her family until her eyes failed her at age 74 (in the 1960s) right after completing the piece shown above. She used nylon-wool blends to work bird’s footprints, cow saddles and arrow shaft feather motifs L. Haru Ebina's maekake; R. Omi’s into the piece composed of interlocking purple and brown diamonds. maekake

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No one else was ever able to achieve her level of splendid skill. An earlier apron she made unifies all the smaller interlocking diamonds within three large diamonds of blue, pink and red. The cow saddle motif predominates, with plum blossoms enclosed in diamonds of fish scales. The apron is attached to a waistband of black and white kasuri in a hash design. This apron, meant for both festive and room wear, dates somewhere between the 1940s and 1950s. Another of her fine aprons is composed of four columns of large black diamonds created of smaller diamonds containing shaft feathers. These are set against the background of overlapping white diamonds, which are further set against yellow-gold diamonds.

There were other grandmothers known to create memorable aprons that are considered national treasures today. Another of the best embroiderers Shun Tanaka made one apron of layered diamonds within diamonds in yellow, red, green black and white which is now a National Important Tangible Cultural Property and is famous as “the last hurrah” of the culture of Nambu Hishizashi (“Diamond pattern”)- Maekake aprons, already vanishing in the early1960s.

Boro carryall with multiple compartments, 32cms.wideX37cms.long, Amuse Museum shop. Author’s collection

There is a shop on the first floor with handmade boro items on sale as well as newly woven items and printed textiles, art books, art stationery and a variety of good handicrafts which the museum staff selects from the best craft and art works from all over Japan.

The term “boro” is, to quote the museum’s introduction, “gaining an international recognition …[and] now has an artistic sense attached to it. Highly rated…[in] the field of… textile art design, requests for purchase have been made by various artists and collectors in recent years. Tanaka’s BORO collection…is a well recognized art, representing the opposite side of today’s prevailing consumer society…Behind this unparalleled textile culture was a way of life that

L. Hishizashi (Diamonds) by Sayo Takahashi, shaft feathers, fully accepted this human existence and, endearing both people and

cows’ saddles 1960s nylon and wool; R. Sayo Takahashi things, sought [to] make the best of their energies.” diamonds, cows’ saddles, B+W kasuri waistband, for

festive and room wear 1940s --1950s

A unique feature of the Amuse Textile Museum is that it is the only museum in the world to be authorized to own and show a digital version of the Spaulding collection of the Boston MFA’s ukiyo-e woodblock genre prints. These prints show everyday scenes and folkways of the lives of commoners, nobles, warriors, geishas, actors, priests and peasants in the Edo period and are an invaluable resource for the study of textiles of that period. The Spaulding Brothers Collection is never exhibited and is by donation agreement “shut to the public” and, therefore, continuously monitored under ideal conditions of preservation, so that the actual ukiyo-e are in pristine condition.

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ON THE TRAIL OF TEXTILES IN IRAN Jenny L. Spancake*

In March I went to Iran with a group of 15 that included my husband Steve and Donna Dingle. As the three of us are avid textile enthusiasts, one of our objectives was to look for textiles, both in current production as well as historical ones in museums, and the portrayal of textiles in the arts. In a previous issue of the Thai Textile Society Newsletter I wrote about my visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art which has an exceptional textile collection, particularly rich in Islamic textiles. Louise Mackie recently published the Cleveland Collection as well as examples from many other collections in Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th-21st Century. I read this book right before I left for Iran so it was my guide in looking at textiles in Iran and it is the basis for this article. Knowing that we were going to a country with one of the oldest and Plate with lion in roundel, Achaemenid dynasty, particularly influential textile traditions, we planned to be on the 5th-4th century B.C.E. lookout for any hint of that history and its current practice. As it And then from the Sasanian period dating to the 5th-6th century C.E., happened we saw very few actual physical textiles, except for rugs, so we see a plate with a griffin in the middle of the roundel encircled we experienced a glimpse into the problem that textile historians face. this time with small hearts. Compared to other artefacts, few textiles exist from pre-history into historical times although we know they were being made; therefore, what they might have looked like must be imagined by looking at the sculptures and bas reliefs that illustrate textiles being used as well as more mundane artefacts such as plates and other objects made from metal and ceramic. Note that I use both the terms Iran and Persia for this area. Iran is the more used in modern times but Persia was used by the Greeks to denote the empire known as Iran by the rulers of the area themselves. One of the common design motifs discussed in textile history is the pearl roundel, sometimes called the Sasanian pearl roundel. This design is just one example of the immense influence Persian art has had on the world. Sasanians ruled Persia from 224-658 C.E., but we can see the beginnings of this design much earlier. The pearl roundel is exactly what it describes, a circle surrounded by circular shapes which Plate with griffin in roundel, Sasanian, 5th- are called pearls enclosing a motif. Sometimes the “pearls” may be th some other small mostly round motif. 6 century C.E. Both of these pieces are from the Reza Abbasi Museum also in Tehran. The Sasanian piece just mentioned illustrates the long history of another frequent motif in textiles, often as part of a roundel – the bird. The cockerel and eagle enjoyed a special status in Sasanian iconography, often shown with a ribbon around their necks or dangling from their beak which denotes royal status. The bird as prey also is part of another common motif particularly in Islamic textiles, the hunt. Textiles with pearl roundels from the Sasanian period can be found in some church treasuries in Europe as they were used to wrap holy relics because of their high value. An example of an actual textile from the early Islamic period dated to the 7th-8th century C.E. in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum is silk with a roundel containing a Senmerv, a Persian mythological creature st (senmerv). The long term continuity of this motif can be seen here in 1 millennium B.C.E., Azerbaijan, National metal and textile. Museum Teheran

Our first group visit was to the National Museum Tehran where we found a bronze plaque with mythical decoration from the first millennium B.C.E., an early example of this motif. From the Achaemenid period, a dynasty that ruled Persia from 550-30 B.C.E., the same design is seen on a plate with a lion dating to the 5th-4th century B.C.E.

*Most photos by Steve and Jenny Spancake.

Senmerv from Victoria and Albert Museum th th Website Iran, 7 -8 century C.E.

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It will continue into other times and cultures. The winter capital of the Achaemenid dynasty mentioned above was in Susa outside Ahwaz. We know the Achaemenids well from Greek history. These are the emperors Darius and Xerxes who invaded Greece and the dynasty that Alexander conquered in campaigns from 334-326 B.C.E. In the museum at Susa (known as Shush in modern Iran) were copies of tiled walls from the palace there dating to about the 5th century B.C.E. The originals are in the Louvre but one can still see the officials in procession wearing what were probably sumptuous silk or very fine wool textiles.

Naqh-i-Rustam, Triumph of Shapur I, the emperors Philip the Arab and Valerian before Shapur, second rd half, 3 century, C.E. (Sasanian)

Another relief from Taq-i-Bustan dates from the 5th century C.E. and shows the investiture of the Sasanian shah Peroz. The middle figure representing Peroz wears a textile which may be covered with pearls as there seems to be a suggestion of relief to the pattern appearing on the textile.

Copy of tiled wall from Susa, original dated ca. 5th century B.C.E. (original in Louvre)

Details of photos above, close-ups

of textiles

We were not lucky enough to see ancient textiles in Iran so had to be satisfied on our hunt with looking for textiles in the many bas reliefs that were placed along the highway of the Persian Empire to glorify the king or as he is known in Persia, the shah. Looking at these bas reliefs which are weathered by their centuries in the open air, Relief from Taq-i-Bustan, Investiture of King th the costumes of that time can suggest what textiles might have been like. Peroz, 5 century C.E. A bas relief at Naq-i-Rustam commemorating the defeat of the Roman Empire shows Shah Shapur of the Sasanians receiving the homage of two Roman emperors Philip and Valerian dated, to the second half of the 3rd century C.E. Here you can note the difference in dress between the two empires plus the very interesting trousers Shapur wears. It is interesting to speculate on the wavy edges of these trousers - how is the textile used to create this effect?

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The figure on the right the god Ahuramazda wears a pattern that might be seen as a very early version of the cintamani design that frequently appeared in the design of Ottoman textiles. When studying Ottoman textiles, the design of three balls is called cintamani stemming from the Buddhist symbol of the three jewels. But here we are at a date around the same time of the birth of the Buddha, far from a time when these three balls would symbolize the faith he founded. The bas reliefs at Persepolis were stunning but I have to say a bit disappointing from a textile point of view. Rows of courtiers and foreign envoys appearing at the court are well detailed in terms of the items carried for presentation but the textiles are without design. Was this an omission on the artists’ part or were textiles without pattern but focused on the quality of the actual fabric? We were excited to be there and walking on the site that saw the presence of Alexander the Great.

Detail from central figure with tear drop shaped design

Envoys at Persepolis, Achaemenid dynasty, 5th century B.C.E.

We saw many archaeological sites and architectural landmarks with stunning tile work but textiles were scantily represented. Just to illustrate the quality of textiles during the period between the Sasanians and the Safavids, recall the Senmerv silk illustrated above from the early Islamic period. Also luxurious textiles marked the time Iran was dominated by the Mongols and their successor states such as a cloth of gold with felines and eagles, Northeast Iran, mid-13th century that is in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art (0042).

Cloth of gold with felines and eagles, Northeast Iran, mid 13th century, Cleveland Museum of Art Detail from figure on right with cintamani design

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Once we moved on to the Safavid and Qajar dynasties, we could again see textiles represented in works of art.

Falconer and attendant in animated lattice, Iran, Safavid, th Chihil Sutun Palace Audience Hall, Isfahan, Safavid Period, silk velvet with pile warp substitution mid 16 century, after 1647, Shah Abbas I Receives Wali Muhammad Khan, Cleveland Museum Uzbek Ruler of Turkestan Another area of the palace’s murals depicts a young man lounging on a pillow. Note here the pillow itself as well as the collar on the young man’s jacket. His belt appears to be a long piece wrapped around his waist more than once. He is the height of Safavid elegance and shows the wide use of textiles with patterns.

Detail from above showing Shah Abbas

In the Chihil Sutun Palace Audience Hall in Isfahan, are a number of murals from late Safavid times dated after 1647. In one of the most interesting, Shah Abbas I, who reigned from 1587 to 1629, is shown receiving Wali Muhammad Khan, the Uzbek ruler of Turkestan. The Detail from another section of Audience Hall, robe that Shah Abbas is wearing is an example of the quality of young dandy reclining weaving that existed at the time of the Safavids. The textile industry was crucial to the Safavid economy. Raw silk produced in quantity In Shiraz we visited what at one time was a private home, Ghavani-i- was called white gold. Areas were conquered solely because of their Naranjestan House, where the garden was surrounded by an ability to produce silk. enclosure with tiles dating from the Qajar dynasty period (c. 1757- 1924).

Here were numerous young men again dressed in the high style of the late 18th century illustrating that the continuing tradition of sumptuous textiles produced in Iran continued.

A section of Isfahan is populated by Armenian Christians resettled in this area known as New Jolfa around 1603 by the Safavid Shah. They were skilled silk traders and the shah wished to be sure he could retain that skill as well as prevent revolts in the Christian section of Iran. Wine bearers in landscape, Iran, Safavid period, second quarter 16th century, lampas silk Cleveland Museum Some of those most complex textiles were woven during this period, including lampas silk and silk velvet with pile warp substitution.

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All Saviours, also known as Vank, Cathedral w as begun in 1606 with Block printing of textiles was also practiced in Iran with a long history. construction continuing until the mid-18th century. Attached to the A good example of this was found in the Cathedral museum. A Cathedral is a museum where we saw most of the physical gospel dating from 1463 has a cover that is lined in block prints (perhaps better to change to actual) textiles that we saw during (2977, 2988), although undoubtedly the cover is not as old as the the trip. Among these is an example of a woven Iranian silk from gospel. I found this particularly interesting as it reminded me of the the 17th century made into a liturgical garment. use of textiles in the covering of religious manuscripts throughout Southeast Asia.

Vank Cathedral Museum, Isfahan: Woven Iranian textile made Gospel dated 1463 with cover lined with block prints into Chasuble, 17th century Also on display is a similar garment made from an embroidered textile, a skill of the Armenian population.

Vank Cathedral Museum, Isfahan, Armenian embroidery made into chasuble Detail of Gospel cover A small detailed scene done in embroidery was also on display Turning to the modern production of textiles in Iran, I must sadly say illustrating the complex embroidery practiced. that we found very little evidence of hand weaving still being practiced. We did see a few looms, one of which is illustrated here where a weaver is making very simple mats from camel hair.

Armenian embroidery from New Jolfa, Isfahan, Loom, weaver with camel hair, Nain dated 1663

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Of course, rugs which I have not discussed are still made Other textiles are machine made from both silk and polyester. by hand here. As the focus of our trip was archaeological, We saw the greatest evidence of this in Yazd which historically we did not visit rug weaving except for one house in Nain. was one of the great centers for hand loomed textiles. Today Women in Iran often weave rugs as a supplement to the machine made rugs are for sale) and in the bazaars bolts of family income. The rugs are produced from a cartoon traditionally patterned fabrics are available for purchase provided by the contractor and she follows that design (2307), a sad reminder of a lost skill in an area that once led which shows one-quarter of the rug and which can be the world in the production of luxury textiles. rotated to complete the entire rug.

Machine made rugs, Yazd Rug loom, weaver with loom and pattern

Detail of above

Machine made bolts of fabric, bazaar, Yazd

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INDIAN TEXTILES’ INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD

Patricia Bjaaland Welch

Vasco de Gama landing in Calicut India in 1498

It is one of the oddities of history how the world’s taste for exotic spices fueled the spread of textiles throughout the world and, incidentally, ceded the island of Manhattan to England. Europe’s craving for pepper sent boatloads of explorers in search of a route to the land of spices that wasn’t controlled by the Venetians and Arabs. While Columbus set off across the Atlantic in the search trade A textile fragment found in Fustat made in India route, it was the sea-weathered Portuguese who turned south and first But the most famous of Gujarat’s trade textiles were its patola— succeeded in rounding the tip of Africa in 1488, enabling Vasco de Gama’s those rarest of textiles highly prized by the Indonesians and limited to arrival in the Indian coastal town of Calicut (origin of our word calico) ten its nobility, that have tie-dyed silk threads prior to weaving, forming years later. Upon arrival, however, the King of Calicut, while admitting the fabric’s weft as well as its warp, a process known as ‘double ikat’. that he had heaps of pepper to trade, sneered at the trade goods they These were highly sought after as prestige goods used in ritual gift offered, refusing to even accept them. As the Portuguese worked their exchanges, making them an excellent store of wealth for their way throughout Southeast Asia, they found the same response, so turned recipients. to raiding to supplement their lacklustre trading. Finally, in 1511, when Malacca fell to the Portuguese they found, to their surprise, 1000 Indian (Gujarati) families already in residence fully in charge of the thriving intra- Asia trade between their homeland and Asia’s ports. The magic trade goods that brought these traders all the spices they desired— were textiles from home.

The earliest trade textiles of the 15th -17th century as part of the spice trade, came predominantly from Gujarat, all bearing Indian motifs drawn with a pen known as a qalam, and using mordant-dye and resist-dye techniques. Centuries before Europe discovered the art of dyeing cotton (which as a plant derivative is much more resistant to dyes than wool or silk which are animal products), India discovered the chemical secret of using metallic oxides such as alum, oxidized iron, vinegar, salt and even urine to stimulate the absorption of colours. These older cloths are predominantly neutral, black and red, with designs of women performing a traditional dandia dance, battling demons, or carrying veena and parrots, in addition to hunting scenes, friezes of horses and elephants, th geese in roundels, etc. Older Gujarati cloths dating to the 9 century with some similar designs have been found in a garbage dump in Fustat, Egypt (once the capital of Abbasid Egypt) and are considered by textile historian A Patola a miracle, given the fragile nature of cloth.

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Europe had no comparable textiles. We forget now that as By 1700, spices had become so commonplace in Europe and the late as the 14th century the English thought cotton was an demand for cotton so insatiable that the England stepped in to animal product (like wool). As late as the mid-18th century, protect its own home industries with an act in 1701 that prohibited their cotton thread was still so inferior that it could only the import of painted or dyed calicoes and silk. This act had so little be used as the weft on a linen or wool warp-threaded effect that it had to be followed up in 1721 with another act banning loom, as the strands were so weak. the import of all Indian cloth, exempting only thread and raw cotton. The West’s Industrial Revolution with its flying shuttles, spinning Voracious merchants, the Portuguese eventually learned machines and jennies added blow after blow, proving ruinous for the to trade their European and African-sourced trade goods, Indian textile industry. Meanwhile, European appetites had turned including such desirable items as Asian elephant ivory from spices to tea and Chinese tastes from Indian textiles to opium. tusks, for Indian textiles in India before continuing on to the Spice Islands. By the time the Dutch and English By 1900, India, which in 1750 had supplied one-quarter of the world’s arrived, the triangular trade pattern was set with the textiles, was now supplying only two percent. One of Gandhi’s most Portuguese controlling most ports. symbolic of home-rule acts was the encouragement of home spinning and weaving to reinvigorate India’s textile industry. The Coromandel Coast of India, with its natural dye centres and ample cotton and rice crops, was another important source of textiles that would become home to several European trading posts (the Dutch bases were located at Pulicat and Negapatnam, the English in Madras, and the French at Pondicherry). Together with Bengal and Gujarat, the Coromandel Coast was one of India’s main textile production centres. The weavers of the Coromandel Coast produced beautiful painted (kalamkari) and block-printed cotton textiles made to satisfy the region’s discerning (and most likely increasingly demanding) markets. Some were destined for such foreign markets as Siam and the Middle East, the former, as we have seen in collections in Thailand, featuring typical Buddhist and Ayutthaya/Bangkok motifs and the latter the non-figurative alternatives of geometric, calligraphic and floral designs. Some textiles travelled as far as the Torajas of Sulawesi, who having acquired them through the port town of Makassar, safeguarded and preserved them for generations as sacred gifts from their ancestors. According Gandhi spinning cotton to textile expert John Guy (Indian Textiles in the East, p. 86), these “Maa’ cloths acquired a central place in Toraja beliefs, featuring in the local creation myths which centre around deified ancestors who are screened in heaven by a curtain of maa’.”

The fight for ports and emporia was intense. Eventually, a feud between the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the English East India Company (EIC) resulted in a truce on The Thai Textile Society welcomes articles from you,

April 11, 1667 wherein the two nations traded islands each our members and readership. Please request held in the others’ territories. The Dutch gained a tiny Guidelines for Submission of articles at: island in Indonesia’s Banda islands called Run (pronounced [email protected]

‘Roone’), that the English had managed to capture. In exchange, the Dutch handed over to the English an area they called “New Holland”, today known as the island of

Manhattan.

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USES OF SILK FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN CLOTHING Today silk used in clothing may no longer hold the prestige it once did due to post World War II rise of synthetics, such as nylon replacing silk stockings and parachutes. At one time Japan was the top producer of silk Text and Photos by John J. Toomey in the world, a position now held by China. Silk in Japan has always been associated with luxury items such as elegant kimonos for both women and men. Silk is still the fabric of choice for kimonos and kimono accessories such as handbags, obis, their cords and under sashes, as well as the multi-functional square furoshiki cloths (typically 67X67 cms), which after wrapping an item can have its four corners tied up into a handle to carry things. The Shosoin Imperial Treasure House in Nara near Kyoto contains hand-crafted items over 1,000 years old, including many of silk, even a pair of embroidered silk shoes.

Silk items the guests should take to tea ceremony. Clockwise from upper left:

small cloth used to receive hot tea cup, small pouch for moistened linen cloth

for wiping the place where one has drunk from the cup, large folding cloth for

purifying tea utensils(22X22cms), scabbard for small metal knife for cutting tea

sweet, burse for containing all the others

R. Tea teacher and L. her American student both in silk kimonos

The ancient Romans were known to import silk, but they did not have their own sericulture of producing silk. That honor goes to China from which sericulture spread as far as Europe. The Byzantine Empire cultivated silk for use in church for liturgical vestments and altar L. pull string bag for carrying tabi socks and other accoutrements, such as altar cloths, antependia, banners, and to wrap personal items to tea; R. Modern version of ladies’ burse the bones of saints as relics. Silk was also needed for imperial court for containing the silk cloths ceremonies.

China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia used silk for liturgy in Buddhist temples as vestments, altar cloths, banners, tatami mat borders, cushions and sitting cloths for monks. In Zen temples, often a silk covered cushion is set upon the altar to indicate the presence of the Buddha. In Japan silk is still used for cushions, tatami borders and sliding door coverings in the home. In China and Japan silk paper has been used for calligraphy and painting since ancient and medieval times. China’s Han dynasty used silk as currency to pay government civil workers and military salaries. The length of the silk cloth became the monetary standard equal to bronze coins. Ancient and Medieval Chinese soldiers wore wadded silk shirts as defense against arrows. Medieval Japanese warriors went into battle wearing lacquered armor plates joined together with silk cords L. Noh theater mask motif formal silk furoshiki cloth for wrapping money on upper and lower body. envelope to present at an auspicious occasion such as a wedding; R. Same furoshiki wrapped around envelope

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L. furoshiki with auspicious design of plum blossoms and tea bowls; R. same used for carrying goods

The qualities of silk lend it practical uses, as silk readily accepts dyes, retains heat in winter and transfers moisture away from the body in summer, unlike cotton which retains the moisture. A silk thread comprises many fine filaments making it strong and elastic. It is the ideal material for Japanese classical stringed instruments such as the three-stringed shamisen, similar to a banjo, and the thirteen-stringed koto, similar to a harp or zither.

Silk sutures at Tokyo University. Photo Wikipedia

In the United States at the University of Illinois and Pennsylvania University, research is being conducted on electrode arrays that could be printed on degradable silk to implant on the surface of the brain to treat epilepsy and other neurological conditions. They are also working on making artificial corneas from silk. Another possible medical application is using degradable silk for biosensors or for drug delivery. It was discovered that silk can dissolve in the body at controlled rates, set to release medication little by little. Researchers are also looking at making silk antennae to be placed inside the body to monitor health and to send signals when bodily conditions change.

Author playing koto, accompanied by friend on shamisen

The silk cocoon too has practical uses. It can be used to scrub dirt out of the body’s pores. Additionally, cocoon extract is valued as an ingredient in cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners to soften skin and hair. The extract is also used in drinks and “health food” candies. These uses of cocoons have become popular in Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Cocoon extract is also used in making soft contact lenses, which are gentler on the eyes than synthetic lenses. Some cocoons are genetically manipulated to glow in the dark, having a jelly fish gene inserted into them. These have found their way into the fashion industry.

In Japan, silk has become exceedingly important in everyday life, even having a silkworm deity to honor the worms’ sacrifice in helping increase Japan’s wealth, especially during its silk export boom following World War II. It has been discovered that silk can be used in medical applications Tufts University silk coil Photo Wikipedia that could enhance the future of medicine. Tokyo University has been conducting research into making artificial blood vessels of woven silk, a material that is friendly to the human body and is not rejected by it. Silk In other uses of silk, Tufts University has developed a coil of silk and dissolved in water might be used to regenerate parts of the human body, gold that can tell when food has spoiled. The university is also such as ears, teeth and skin. Silk sutures are strong, not absorbable by the researching the possibility of making a bullet-proof vest of silk. Silk body and do not trigger an adverse reaction in the immune system. Due also has uses in photonics and applications in electronics. The to these properties, silk might also be used to repair damaged muscles, wonderful contributions of silk to both traditional culture and ligaments, cartilage, tendons and even bones. modern science are a blessing to be enjoyed by the whole globe.

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