Indian Textiles

Contents: Introduction. 1. The history of textile production. 2. The materials. 3. The techniques of textile decoration. 4. The West. 5. Pakistan. 6. The North. 7. The East. 8. Bangladesh. 9. The South. 10. Sri Lanka. Bibliography. Museums and galleries with collections of Indian Textiles. Glossary. Sources of illustrations. Index.

"The production of textiles in India continues to flourish just as it has for many centuries. The interactions of peoples - indigenous tribes, invaders, traders, explorers -- through history has built a culture legendary for its variety and colour. From the Rann of Kutch to the Coromandel Coast, from city and village, handloom weavers, block printers, painters, dyers and embroiderers are all creating the most extraordinary textiles.

This all-encompassing survey of textiles from every region of the Indian subcontinent runs the gamut of commercial, tribal and folk textiles. The authors first place them in context by examining the cultural background: the history, the materials and the techniques--weaving, printing, painting and tie-and-dye. They then give a detailed region-by-region account of traditional textile production, including chapters on Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A dazzling array of images provides an unsurpassed visual representation of the textiles, while a detailed reference section with further reading, museums and information on technical terms completes this essential guide." (jacket)