Bag Item Number: 1201/29 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Densely embroidered, multi-coloured, flat, square envelope style bag or purse made by folding and stitching a square piece so that three of its corners meet in the centre, leaving the fourth corner free as a flap. The intricate geometric embroidered designs are worked in silk floss on a cotton textile and are so densely worked that the background textile is almost invisible. In addition to stitchery, the piece is embellished with mirrors and red and black pompoms. The embroidery is backed with blue-green cotton textile.
History Of Use
Everyday use. Probably a dowry object.
Narrative
Purchased from Alan Davidson when his Calgary import store, Terlingua, was liquidating its stock prior to closing.
Iconographic Meaning
The style of embroidery on this bag is known as 'kharek,' one of the embroidery styles produced by women to decorate clothing for daily wear and ceremonial occasions, to embellish various utilitarian objects and objects used for home decor, as well as for dowries, in the ethnic communities that live on the Kutch desert, in Gujarat, India, as well as in the neighbouring Thar desert in Sindh province, Pakistan. The style is characterized by squared off geometric motifs.
Item History
- Made in India ? or Pakistan ?
- Collected in Kabul, Afghanistan during 1982
- Owned by Alan Davidson before February 24, 1987
- Received from Alan Davidson (Seller), Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) on February 24, 1987
What
- Name
- Bag
- Identification Number
- 1201/29
- Type of Item
- bag
- Material
- cotton fibre, dye, glass, metal and silk fibre
- Manufacturing Technique
- embroidered and sewn
- Overall
- height 21.0 cm, width 23.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Meghwal ?
- Previous Owner
- Alan Davidson
- Received from
- Alan Davidson (Seller), Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- India ? or Pakistan ?
- Collected in
- Kabul, Afghanistan
When
- Collection Date
- during 1982
- Ownership Date
- before February 24, 1987
- Acquisition Date
- on February 24, 1987
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- good
- Current Location
- Case 108
- Accession Number
- 1201/0029