Deals With The History Of Indian Textiles From Very Easily Times To The Mauryan Period. Wide Coveage, Raw Materials, Dyeing, Embroidery, Trade And Commerce, Guilds. 13 Maps 4 Plates And 13 Pictures. 6 Chapters-Conclusion, Bibliography.

Drawing on new research on textile trade and production in the regions that depended on the Indian Ocean, the book contributes to a new understanding of the role that Indian cloth played in the making of the modern world economy.

Of All The Indian Handicrafts, Textiles Form A Class By Themselves Over Which The Rest Of The World Went Into Ecstasies From Time Immemorial.With An Enormous Store Of Myths, Symbols, Imagery And Inspiration From Other Art Forms Indian Textile-Craft Never Faced A Slump Or Stagnation. On The Other Hand It Transcended From A Craft Identity To The Status Of An Art.With Shades Of Classicism, Folk Tradition And Regional Flavour The Rich And Unrivalled Fabrics Of India Have Rightly Been Called Exquisite Poetry In Colour .Indian Fabric Art Can Be Classified Into Three Broad Categories Woven, Painted Or Printed And Embroidered. Within This Broad Outline The Present Study Pinpoints The Historical Background Of Some Representative Forms Each Unique In Its Distinctiveness.A Search For Any Linkage With Allied Art Forms As Well As Their Socio-Cultural Significance Also Provides A New Perspective.Though Apparently Widely Dispersed In Contents, They Form A Composite Tapestry Of Indian Fabric Art Tradition And Call For More Scrutiny Before Our Precious Heirlooms Are Totally Submerged In The Tide Of The Synthetic Era. The Book Is Enriched By Illustrations Of Rare Specimens Of Historical Art Fabrics Collected From Different Museums In The Country. Coupled With Extensive References This Volume Spotlights A New Facet Of Indian Art Heritage Which Will Fascinate Both The Social Scientists As Well As The Connoisseurs Of Indian Art And Culture.

"The production of textiles in India continues to flourish just as it has for many centuries. The interactions of peoples - indigenous tribes, invaders, traders, explorers - through history has built a culture legendary for its variety and colour. From the Rann of Kutch to the Coromandel coast, from city and village, handloom weavers, block printers, painters, dyers and embroiderers are all creating the most extraordinary textiles." "This all-encompassing survey of textiles from every region of the Indian subcontinent runs the gamut of commercial, tribal and folk textiles. The authors first place them in context by examining the cultural background: the history, the materials and the techniques - weaving, printing, painting and tie-and-dye. They then give a detailed region-by-region account of traditional textile production, including chapters on Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. An array of images provides an unsurpassed visual representation of the textiles, while a detailed reference section with further reading, museums and information on technical terms completes this essential guide."--BOOK JACKET.