Product Description
Laos Ceremonial Textile 3
Material: Cotton
Style: Laos
Size: Length 214 cm, Width 44 cm
Order Number: MHSLCT3
Lao textiles are among the finest textiles in the world with elaborate designs, playful, mysterious motifs, and beautiful rich colours. They are usually made of silk and/or cotton, sometimes with metallic yarn as supplementary weft. Cotton was used for everyday clothing and homewares; silk was used for ceremonies, such as weddings, religious events and funerals, and gifts to the temples. Silk textiles represent wealth and were traded.
The patterns, colours and designs indicate the wearer’s identity as well as their social and marital status.
The rich colours are derived from natural and chemical dyes. The main colours are indigo, yellow, green, white and red with highlights of secondary colours. It is common to see a single motif
repeated across a textile.
Lao girls learn how to weave at around the age of 5 or 6 from their mothers, grandmothers and aunts. They weave their own clothes and clothes for their marriage, as well as bedding, blankets, and gifts. They also weave textiles for religious purposes, for example robes for monks and ceremonial textiles for the temples. A girl’s skill at weaving shows her potential to be a good wife.
Lao women inside and outside Laos still wear silk textiles at important events.
Map of Laos.
Mid 20th century.
Please ask for the price (or make an offer).
