An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s16: 16.16 Textiles
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s16
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16.16 Textiles
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Defined as woven fibres or fabric in any media, especially cloth, ancient Indian textiles were mainly constituted of wool (*ūrṇā*), silk (*kauśeya*), linen (*aumaka*) and cotton (*kārpāsa*) according to literary and inscriptional evidences. The subcontinent is believed to be the homeland of cotton, for the Babylonian and Greek terms for cotton, *sindhu* and *sindon* respectively, appear to have been derived from Sindhu, i.e., the Indus region.
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In the archaeological context the knowledge of thread is attested to by early wheel-made pottery wherein the pot-bases bear in many cases impressions of string suggesting its use in separating an unbaked pot from the clay lump within the wheel. However actual textile specimens recovered from excavations are only a few and they too are available in tiny fragments or mere threads of only cotton, with only two notable exceptions from the Deccan. The basic tool used for taking out the thread from the raw substance and twisting and winding it was most probably the spindle whorl [6.25], of which numerous examples have been unearthed at many sites. The art of making mats or like material from reed or bamboo seems to have played a significant part in the introduction of the idea of textiles, especially the geometric elements in them. The variety of impressions on the Neolithic pottery [11.1.1] of BURZAHOM might thus have an indirect relation to the development of Indian textiles at some stage especially in regard to geometric designs. The earliest example so far reported is represented by cotton scraps adhering to a silver lid of a vase from the excavations at Mohenjo-daro (Marshall, 1931). According to Gulati and Turner, 1928, these cotton scraps are of a coarse variety weighing 2 oz (56·70 g) per sq yard (·84 sq m) made from 34s count and 60 ends and 20 picks per inch (2·5 cm). Two samples of strings from the site ware found contain 24-fold cotton cords in each case. The material is stated to have been obtained from a plant closely related to *Gossypium arboreum* [2.3.5] or one of its varieties unidentical with its wilder species.
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From LOTHAL indirect evidence of cotton has been noted as some of the terracotta sealings obtained from the warehouse have positive impressions of Indus seals [4.9] on one side and of packing materials including cloth on the other. The excavator says that the bales used to be wrapped in mats and cloth. From the Harappa [4.9] levels of ALAMGIRPUR have been recorded impressions of textile on a trough which suggest the existence of cloth having fine yarn, though not of uniform section, prepared in 'plain weave' technique.
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A signficant discovery from the Chalcolithic [4.14.6] levels of NEVASA and CHANDOLI is fragments of threads of raw silk, apparently spun from cocoons on a cotton nep and flax respectively.
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From the PGW [4.15] levels of ATRANJIKHERA and NOH potsherds with cloth impressions have been noted. The one from the former site shows the impress of a thicker type of cloth with vertical stresses.
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A notable find in the early historical period of BAIRAT is a fragment of cloth in which eight punch-marked coins [3.1] were found wrapped. An analysis carried out by Gulati and Turner has revealed that it is true cotton and woven from 20s and 16s yarns. The number of strands to an inch (2.5 cm) is 50 in lengthwise direction and 34 in the other.
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From the early historical level of RAIRH traces of cloth have been found adhering to about 30 silver punch-marked coins [3.1] out of 535 pieces found in a hoard. Probably the hoard was wrapped in a piece of cloth before it was put into a vase. The cloth was found to be of a heavy variety of true cotton weighing 7.99 oz (220 g) per sq yard (1.84 sq m) with 31 threads of cotton on one direction and 26 on the other.
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At PAITHAN also traces of cloth identified with hemp have been noticed on a lump of square copper coins.
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Sherds bearing textile impressions have been recovered from some levels of Pd II, Mauryan, and Pd IV, Śaka-Kushan of MATHURA. The latter example shows the impressions of a thinner variety of cloth. A fragment of coarser variety of cloth containing a few coins have been recovered from the Sulṭanate level of PURANA QILA.
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A tiny piece of cotton was found sticking to Gadhaiya coins [3.1] from Pd III of AKOTA. Analysis shows that the cloth was of plain weave with 44 reeds and 40 picks. The count of the yarn of the reed is about 16 and that of the pick is 20.
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Cloth impressions have also been noted on potsherds from some other historical sites including UJJAIN and RANG MAHAL. An examination of some samples from RANG MAHAL: suggests that the impressions are of either jute or cotton cloth, but it is also likely that there may be certain other fabrics such as hemp imported from some other Indian region.
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At KAUṆḌINYAPURA a few potsherds bearing textile impressions have been found in the levels datable to *c.* 1300-1600.
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Gulati, A.N., & Turner, A.J., 1928, *Bull. 17, Technological Series*, 12, Indian Central Committee Technological Laboratory, Bombay, October. Marshall, J., 1931, *Mohenjo-daro & the Indus Civilization*, London. For other sites see respective entries in vol. II.—M.C. JOSHI & A.K. SINHA