Looms of India

Loom Design/Loomates/India

The textiles of India had that much impact onto the Austronesian and Austro-asian loin loom cultures, that even the techniques and loin looms in Southeast Asia got remarkable changes. In general there are no loin looms in India, but the Northeastern region of the so-called Seven Sisters States.

A loin loom in Ladakh, Northwestern India, far away from the Seven Sisters area in the Northeast.

I didn‘t even know, that some of these backstrap looms exist that far in the West. In general Nepal is the most western point you may find a backstrap loom, most loin loom cultures you may find in Northeast India! Is this a rare example (Sherpa), or are there plenty of them in Ladakh?

The weaver uses a real big batten to open a hug shed in her circular warp! Pretty rare amongst other loin cultures! No, not really, it may remind us some of these huge swords of the Hmong or some others in China, or even the sword of the Japanese jibata. In lack of a bamboo cane she uses an old piece of branch for the shed roll. Even the heddle rod is done by a uneven branch!

Frame Looms of India

Weber in Ost-Indien, 1902 - (Internet Book Archives - wikipedia)

Ein Weber bedient seinen Seidenwebstuhl in Ghotal, Medinipur, Bengal, Indien, 1873 -

(Mennonite Church USA Archives - wikipedia)

Nahaufnahme des Webers an seinen Seidenwebstuhl in Ghotal, Medinipur, Bengal, Indien, 1873 -

(Tropenmuseum - wikipedia)

Bildquelle:

Old India Photos - A man operating a silk loom at Ghotal in Medinipur, Bengal, 1873 - http://www.oldindianphotos.in/2011_08_10_archive.html
Tropenmuseum - Closeup of a man operating a silk loom at Ghotal in Medinipur, Bengal, 1873 - http://www.oldindianphotos.in/2011_08_10_archive.html