Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c27.8

c27.8

The embroidery of bags consists generally of a centre design, floral or otherwise, framed by three or more borders parallel to the edge of the bag. Of these borders the innermost is almost always *pala peti*, the largest *liya-vēla*, the others a variety of *havaḍiya* or *gal-binḍu* pattern. A limited amount of coloured silk is sometimes used; the small bag of Pl. XXX., 1, is exceptional in having embroidery entirely in silk. It may be noted that silk is frequently mentioned in the Mahāvamsa, but never with any suggestion of its being an indigenous product. The edges of bags are either bound with woven braid, which was made in a great variety of designs, or stitched over with the peculiar ‘centipede’ binding stitch described below.