Unit 3: Global regional textiles
History of World Textiles notes · PTU syllabus (BSTD 403-20)
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Unit summary
South East Asia, Africa and the Americas have rich textile cultures with distinctive techniques. This unit covers their history, origin, techniques and styles.
After this unit you can
- Describe textiles of South East Asia
- Describe African textiles
- Describe textiles of the Americas
- Compare techniques across regions
PTU syllabus topics
- Fabrics of South East Asia
- African textiles
- American textiles — history
- origin
- technique and style
Batik
Indonesia
Wax-resist dyeing
Kente
Ghana
Strip-woven silk and cotton
Adire
Nigeria
Indigo resist-dyeing
Mola
Panama
Reverse appliqué
Navajo weaving
USA
Wool tapestry rugs
Topic 1
Textiles of South East Asia
Batik
Wax-resist dyeing with canting or copper stamp (cap)
Java (Indonesia) — UNESCO heritage; sogan browns, parang and kawung motifs
Ikat
Warp ikat (Sumba, Borneo), weft ikat (Thailand mudmee), double ikat (geringsing of Bali)
Ceremonial cloths
Songket
Supplementary gold or silver weft brocade
Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra)
Thai silk
Hand-woven lustrous silk
Revived by Jim Thompson
Philippine piña and abacá
Pineapple and banana fibre cloths
Barong Tagalog shirts
Topic 2
African textiles
Kente
Strip-weaving of silk or cotton on narrow looms, strips sewn together
Ghana (Asante, Ewe); colours and patterns carry meanings
Bogolanfini (mud cloth)
Cotton dyed with leaves, painted with iron-rich mud
Mali; geometric symbols
Adire
Indigo resist (tied or starch-paste)
Nigeria (Yoruba)
Kuba cloth
Raffia palm fibre with cut-pile embroidery
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kanga and kitenge
Printed cotton wraps with proverbs
East Africa
Ankara (wax print)
Industrial wax-resist prints
West Africa (originally Dutch-made)
Topic 3
Textiles of the Americas
Paracas and Nazca (Peru, ancient)
Embroidered mantles and fine tapestry; camelid wool and cotton
Over 2,000 years old; mythical figures
Inca (Peru)
Tapestry tunics (unku) with tocapu squares
Status and identity symbols
Maya and Guatemalan
Backstrap-loom huipil blouses with brocade
Village-specific patterns
Navajo (North America)
Upright-loom wool blankets and rugs
Chief blankets, eye-dazzler designs
Mola (Panama, Kuna)
Reverse appliqué in layered cloth
Bright geometric and animal designs
Key terms
- Batik
- Wax-resist dyeing
- Songket
- Gold-thread brocade of Malaysia and Indonesia
- Kente
- Strip-woven cloth of Ghana
- Bogolanfini
- Malian mud-dyed cloth
- Mola
- Kuna reverse appliqué panel
Quick revision
- Batik, ikat (geringsing), songket, Thai silk, piña.
- Kente, bogolanfini, adire, Kuba, kanga, Ankara.
- Paracas, Inca, Maya huipil, Navajo, mola.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is batik?
- Q2.Where is geringsing made?
- Q3.What is kente?
- Q4.How is mud cloth made?
- Q5.What is a huipil?
- Q6.Describe a mola.
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Describe the textiles of South East Asia.
- Q2.Describe the textile traditions of Africa.
- Q3.Describe the textiles of the Americas.
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