History of Indian Textile

Introduction:-
-The production of sophisticated textiles within the Indian – subcontinent has
Prehistoric Origins.
- For two thousand years, the Indians have had supremacy in textiles.
3000 BC
- The earliest textile finds were at Mohenjo-Daro, an archaeological site on the
Indian River.
-Madder (Red) dyed cotton Fragments have been found wrapped around a
silver pot.
-Salts were used as color fastener and as a chemical.
-Spindles and bronze needles have been recovered.
- carved stone sculpture with patterned cloth
15-2 BC
- Our epics and Vedas talk rich textiles silk, cotton and linen between 15-2BC
- The silk is thought a to be a Chinese and thus suggests a long established trade
route over the Himalayas.
6C BC
- The Persian Empire was a link between the Indus basin and the Mediterranean.
- Indian cloth became famous with the Persians and Greeks because brilliant
colours.
-the Quality of Indian dyeing was praised in the Roman world as a reference made
in the Latin translation of bible say “ wisdom is even more enduring than the dyed
colours of Indian".
  15th C AD:-
 Babar founded the magnificent Mughal dynasty in North India.
 The traditional Indian textiles as they were now being influenced by
two totally different empires
 16th C:-
 The Indians had the ability to cater to the import market.
 They produced printed and embroided textiles with animal and
flower designs for Europeans.
 For Muslims of Africa and Arabia more simple printed and Striped
Cotton was produced.
 Silk cloth was produced for the nobility.
 17th C:-
 Chinese designs mingled with the Mughal, Persian and Hindu
designs.
 Floral and bird life was intertwined to produced charming effects.
 The Portuguese called it "PINTATHOE meaning painted and the
English called it CHINTZ' from the Hindi word "Chint' meaning
variegated.
 18th C:-
 Kashmiri woven and embroidered shawls become a fashion wrap for
the women of England and France.
 19th C:-
 The Indian textile industry suffered from the influence of cheap
English cloth.
 “Khadi” - handspun and handwoven cotton was a symbol of
independence and self-sufficiency.
 It is seen that for ages Indian textiles have ruled the market of
world.
 India remains the most original, creative and prolific sources of
textile production in the world.
 5-8 BC
 -The famous Ajanta wall paintings depict lion cloth anal blouses pattered by
resist techniques Of Ikat and Bandhini.
 - Everyday costume by the people was draped , not tailored and was mostly
white
 - Cotton and thin fabrics were used.
 3rd C BC
 - The empire of Alexander, the greek conqueror extended to the fort hills
Hindukush mountains.
 -Trading was done betwen Mediterranean to Indian through Persia and
Afganisthan.
 -A famous Greek scholar Magasthenes came to the court of Chandragupta
Maurya and studied the trading and textile Networks.
 2nd C, BC
 - The Romans Used a Sanskrit word for cotton i.e. 'carbasina' in latin derived
from karpasa in Sanskrit.
 - A Roman scholar, the Indian, merchants become both middlemen and
suppliers to the trade(started by Pliny).
 -They travelled to china to get silk and Java and Sumatra for spices and jewels
and supplied it to the Romans.
 -The Indian muslims were described as "Venti" - (find as the wind) and nebula'
(mistry in mature).
 1st C AD
 -The Afghans led by Muhammad Of Gazni conducts his annual raids in India
and by the 12th C AD they had established them
 - Selves in North and Central India and created the Delhi sultanate .
 -Delhi Royal silk Karkhana is recorded as having employed over 4000 weavers
to supply silk for the trade with Central Asia.
  History and Function Of Motifs:-
 Indian subcontinent brought many non- indigenous motifs to be
integrated with the traditional Indian motifs.
 Motifs were picked or taken from natural surroundings such as
Floral, animals, human creature, Birds, insects, Geometrical
Pattern etc.
 Central Asian Motty and their significance
 The majority of textiles are used and always have been made by
Women.
 Motifs were taken according to the activity happen around them.
Persian Matija - Persian motif o Paisley [Keri design), tree of life and
rounder containing birds or beasts are commonly used.
Buddhist Motifs - Natural Motifs were used mainly Lotus are the
favorite among weavers and embroiders.
Islamic Pattern -- Free flowing flower motif and geometrical pattern
motifs were used. Symbolic shapes connected with Muslim beliefs such
as mihrab (arch) and the hand of Fatima have curved a niche in Indian
art.