Ethnographic Textiles + Weapons

[Rumpel]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Excellent topic Dizos!
Actually in ethnographic material culture it is well established that there are often similiarities in symbolism in the motif of textiles, such as Berber items and in the Middle East in certain cases with rugs, with that found on weapons decoration. It seems like there was once a book titled "The Afghan Amulet", I forget details and the author, but the theme was with regard to the importance of amuletic motif in textiles. I thought it might be good potential for studying decorative motif, but did not pursue it further regrettably. Hope there will be takers here

Sheila Payne. I also have her more recent effort. As a slightly snobby anthropologist, I have to say her ideas are quite diffusionist, and un-grounded in fact. But still quite fun...

On a similar note, there's a dealer in Portobello with an Afghan (Tajik?) embroidered saddle jezail sheath that's utterly beautiful, and would quite fit my (heavily prettified) jezail, but his stall's been shut for weeks...

If any London-based members are interested in textiles, there's an amazing small shop on Islington Green- Uzbek chapans etc, mid-1800s. The owner held an exhibition (and wrote the catalogue, which I own) for the V&A. Quite spectacular.

edit: and don't get me started on suzanis... oy...