A Northeast Indian handwoven tribal textile with geometric design, Nagaland/Manipur, first half 20th C.

160 x 97 cm

This textile is most probably used as a ritual shawl, panel or shoulder cloth. Characteristic of these tribal handwoven fabrics are the tight horizontal stripes, the red (ceremonial), yellow (everyday) and blue-green (tribal) colour blocks, the woven geometric motifs, the rough open side and the use of cotton or local fibres (no silk or pashmina). These fabrics have not only a decorative goal, but always as well a functional and/or ritual one.