The first article, "A Preliminary Report on a Group of Important Mughal Textiles" by Ellen S. Smart, developed from a group of Mughal textiles that once belonged to the Kachhawaha clan of Rajputs, aristocracy whose palace was near present day Jaipur. The inscriptions provide important chronological history of that period. My curiosity would have been satisfied if I had also learned how the cotton was spun, how the textiles were made, more of the life history at that time, and what kind of dyes were used. As stated in the article, howeyer, that is to come.
Since the photos for such intricate textiles were so small, I needed a magnifying glass to see much of the important detail in the black and white photographs. The color plates were helpful and gave the impression that all pieces in the group had similar color palettes. I was intrigued with the possibilities of imaginary foreigners, as pictured in Figure 21, and that this is just "the beginning of a new understanding of imperial Mughal textiles."
Next came "The Carpet-Makers of Western Anatolia, 1750-1914" by Donald Quataert. He offered a brief history of how the Oriental rug developed popularity from Europe to America. I found the material easily readable and understandable, but it would have definitely been enhanced with photographs. I now appreciate the effect the Europeans had in developing the industry, encouraging production, the development of a traditional home business diffusing into manufacture outside the home, and the setting up of production networks outside the traditional carpet making centers.
I wonder what happened to the quality and character of the carpets when their manufacture changed from production by individuals and families to that of knotters, using cartoons, working 11 hours a day to fill the demand. The article states that weavers have a saying, "One of the greatest values of rug making is that it adapts to the needs of the family" - does that still hold true?
An excellent description of images and their relationship to different periods of Greco-Roman art to Sassanian inspiration and Byzantine art follows in "A Tapestry Roundel with Nilotic Scenes" by Laila Asdel-Maler. I was left, however, wanting to know what kinds of materials and what kind of dyes were used. Although there were comprehensive descriptions of the colors used in the figures, a few colored plates would have rounded out the text. The black and white photographs were clear and descriptive. I have found it typical of weavers to pick up design elements from other sources, such as the mosaic panels in Qusr-El-Lesia. Masako Kinoshita gives an annotated translation of "A Braiding Technique Documented in an Early Nineteenth- Century Japanese Treatise, 'Soshun Biko'." A detailed explanation of the loop-manipulation braid follows, using both analytical data as described in "Soshun Biko" (A Thesaurus for Ceasing War, Chapter 143) by Masunari Ozeki, a Japanese lord who lived in the Late Edo period (1603-1867), as well as experimental methods. Since braids were used abundantly in Japanese armor and since they needed to be replenished, the loop-manipulation technique or "The Confidential Braiding Technique," as stated in "Soshun Biko," appears to be the technique used for the demand.
The article is well written, diagrams are clear, yet I would have liked to have seen more photographs. I appreciated the concept of associating Heaven with left and Earth with right, along with the idea that in Japan~se performing arts it is customary to start an action from the left hand or leg. Considering the complexity of Japanese armor - from its simple beginning of braids used for decoration, to a cord for the Sutra Scrolls, to wrapping a sword hilt, to the colorful, complex armor itself - one can see how it developed into a complete art with many variations suited for different purposes. Ingenuity based on need developed into an art. Beginning with a general description of spinning and plying, Mary Frame presents an article called "Nasca Sprang Tassels: Structure, Technique and Order" specifically interpreting Peruvian "intertwined" or sprang tassel weaving. One of the most complex in Peruvian textiles, the fabric is two mirror-imaged pieces joined in the center, forming the tassel, which usually comes in pairs. Since most tassels have no grave associations, as stated in the article, the cultural context is stylistically compared to the ceramic sequence. The intertwining techniques were clearly diagrammed and documented with photographs of the various tassels.
Ann Lane Hedlund's comprehensive article, "Commercial Materials in Modern Navajo Rugs,". after a brief history of Navajo weavings expands into the "incorporative integration" for which the Navajos are noted, the ability to sift through the ideas of other cultures, utilize them for themselves, and make them part of the Navajo traditions. Navajo eclecticism is based in the practicality of what is available.
I found the text complete, informative, well researched, and clear. I would have liked to have seen some of the well chosen photographs in color, as color always adds another dimension.
Navajos will generally state that they themselves sheared their sneep, spun the yarn, and dyed the wool because that is what people want to hear; however, nowadays that is not the case, as the article points out. It takes an educated buyer to be able to distinguish the different kinds of wool and yarn used. The differentiation of the various materials is clearly described, making clear distinctions in terms between processed wool, single-ply and multiple-ply yarns. However, since not everyone selling or buying Navajo rugs uses these terms, it will take educating the eye to see the difference. Walking into Burnham's Trading Post is an inspiration with its wide variety of "pre-spun" wool, in an array of colors which fill three walls. The weavers certainly have an opportunity to choose and expand their repertoires of ideas and colors.
As also pointed out in the article, there are more incentives for expansion and utilization Qf foreign materials, primarily based upon economic considerations. The Navajo concept of "at the right time" is being replaced with the materialistic concept of finite time or "time is money." I would say handspinning has not been promoted, recognized as an asset, or properly remunerated. When a rug has been handspun, in many cases it is considered inferior to the machine-spun rugs; this opinion contributes to the weavers growing tendency to use commercial materials. If the buying public were educated to see the difference between handspun and commercially spun wools, respect what handspun yarn represents, and be willing to pay for it, the Navajo would be encouraged to build their flocks and to pass on the tradition of handspinning.
The lanolin in handspun pieces gives wool part of its durability and suitability for floor use, just as the old classics attest; handspun "churro" wool as illustrated in Figure 2 develops a sheen and smooth texture and only gets better. The quality of Navajo wool is ideally suited for handspinning; its fibers are not too long or short, not too greasy, and accept dyes nicely. The sheep have been developed to endure the climate on the reservation, provide a fleece for making rugs, and serve as a suitable food source. The government's attempt to improve the "native wool" did contaminate the fleece already developed by the Navajos, and support of the programs to save the "churro" should be encouraged, along with the promotion of rugs of simple design and color made out of handspun that could develop yet another market for Navajo textiles.
Another Navajo concept that is being challenged is unity or wholeness. In the past, weaving consisted of the whole process including raising and shearing of the sheep, dyeing and spinning the wool. Now the process is fragmented or separated, as the ready spun yarn is bought at the trading post. Perhaps using handspun wool is a purist's approach; there certainly always have been trade materials as part of the tradition of weaving. But, considering the economics of the reservation, if handspinning were encouraged, promoted, and paid for, it would continue to support the Navajo family on a "whole" basis and encourage a way of life" the "Navajo Way" of life.
