I recently was blipping around Pinterest searching for "Ancient Indian Sari" which as you can expect, doesn't produce anything older than the 18th century. I did see some modern designs as inspiration for my sari project and followed one link to
Strands of Silk website. Not only did they have some lovely modern sari's but they also had sections of traditional styles of sari decoration. The following are small segments of their website with links to each piece, each page has a good intruduction then sections on the history, the motifs & colours, production techniques and producer communities. The sort of information that'll be invaluable starting point should I wish to visit these regions myself. I've picked a few forms of decoration, their full list is as follows:
- Ajark printing
- Applique
- Banarasi brocade
- Batik
- Block Printing
- Ikat
- Kota Doria
- Mirror Work
- Patan Patola
- Pipli Applique
- Tie and Dye
- Zardosi Embroidery
The term ‘ajrak’ derived from the Arabic word ‘azrak’ which can mean
‘indigo’ or ‘blue’. This reflects Sindh’s historic reputation as a
dominant producer of indigo dye and illustrates the extensive use of the
indigo shade of blue in traditional ajrak print, which is still common
to this day. Traditionally, ajrak prints were donned by both men and
women. To this day men continue to use ajrak printed turbans and
cummerbunds, as well as draping the fabric over their shoulders. Just as
before, women continue to wear ajrak printed dupattas, chadors and
shawls that exquisitely complement other garments such as sarees. The
Khatri community, who continue to be dominant ajrak printers in the
Kutch district, have recognised contemporary markets, producing
traditional ajrak prints on modern pieces such as yardages and home
furnishings.
Historically - The art of block printing as a whole flourished in India in the 12th
century, and motifs were heavily influenced, in the 17th century, by the
reign of Mughal emperors. Ajrak printing, however, historically evolved
in parallel as an intricate genre of block printing. Though ajrak
printing is synonymous with the Sindh culture of Pakistan, its roots
stretch to the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan due to the
inhabitants of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation who, from 3300 BCE,
settled along the basins of the Indus River.
Banarasi brocades are one of the finest fabrics that India has to offer.
It is a specialty of Varanasi, formerly known as Banaras, from which
the fabric derives its name. Throughout history, brocade was a fabric of
luxury worn by nobility in various cultures, from India to Korea.
Brocade is a heavy fabric similar to jacquard with a raised pattern or
floral design. Traditionally the pattern was produced with gold or
silver thread said to be of such superb quality that they could be woven
into fabric of pure gold and silver. There is evidence of different
textured brocades since the Rig Vedic period c. 1750-500 BCE, including
fabric of gold known as Hiranya Vastra. Silkora, a mixture of silk and cotton, is a modern textile innovation of Banarasi brocade.
Historically - The textile industry fits into this milieu and brocade weaving with gold
and silver thread, zari, has been a Banarasi specialty since the Rig
Vedic period between c. 1750-500 BCE. It was during this time that the
oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas, were composed. Banarasi
brocades, or kimkhabs, woven with gold and silver thread gained
widespread renown during the Mughal period of the 14th century, and with
the arrival of Europeans.
The word ‘batik’ is derived from the Indonesian word ambatik,
which can be translated to ‘wax writing’. Batik is a 2000 year old art
form predominantly practised in Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and India.
Batik is an ancient form of handloom and fabric painting in which the
fabric is printed with wax resist before being dyed. Batik was once
considered a sign of sophistication and cultivation, owing to its
striking yet delicate motifs that include flowers and birds. Batik print
encompasses a three dimensional feature with depth and texture.
Historically - Early evidence of batik dating back more than 2000 years has been found
across Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, South East Asia, and the
Far East. The theory that the art form of batik evolved independently in
each of these regions is plausible. However, historians believe it is
also likely that batik spread through caravan trade routes. By the 17th
century there were established trade routes between China, the
Indonesian islands Java and Sumatra, Persia, which is present-day Iran,
and Hindustan, which includes the North Indian Gangetic Plain and the
Indus River basin in Pakistan. Batik even travelled as far as the
Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland in the 19th century during the
Dutch East Indies colonisation. Many historians dispute the true origins
of batik. Some attribute it to Egypt, while others believe it
originated from India.
Front, back and the skirt
