Vest Item Number: 2878/18 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Brown and white knit wool vest. The edges of the bottom of the vest, around the arm holes and around the neck opening, are knit using brown wool and a very subtle design. The vest is made of two pieces, a front piece and a back piece that have been stitched together. On the sides, the two pieces are stitched together with brown wool while the top of the vest is stitched together with white-brown wool. The design on the vest varied from the top to the bottom. On the top of the vest near the neck opening there is alternating brown and white brown unfinished lines. The design on the bottom half of the vest is alternating brown and white-brown patches.

Narrative

In addition to being skilled embroiderers, Chitrali (Kho) women are expert knitters. This natural colour "pusp" (hand-spun wool) vest was hand-knit by a local Kho woman and acquired by the collector from a shopkeeper at the Chitral Bazaar. It can be worn either inside the shalwar tunic (2878/17 a) or even over top of the tunic. Chitrali winters can be extremely cold and windy, with heavy snowfall. Additional woolen clothing is essential to survive Chitral's cold winter climate and both men and women knit sweaters, vests, socks, scarves, puttees (a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee, consisting of a long strip of cloth wound around the leg in a spiral) and hats.

Item History

What

Name
Vest
Identification Number
2878/18
Type of Item
vest
Material
wool fibre
Overall
height 64.1 cm, width 34.4 cm

Who

Culture
Chitrali
Previous Owner
Tamarin Productions Inc.
Received from
Tamarin Productions Inc. (Seller) and Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Chitral, Northwest Frontier, Pakistan

When

Collection Date
during 1976
Ownership Date
before May 4, 2011
Acquisition Date
on May 4, 2011

Other

Item Classes
textiles
Condition
good
Accession Number
2878/0018