Traditional Textiles of Central Asia – Janet Harvey Koop Vandaag

The oasis towns of the Silk Route are the source of opulent ikat-dyed silks and velvets, fine cotton weaves and exquisite embroideries. Textiles are also produced in the villages: each house generally has a loom where the women still weave for the needs of the household as well as for the bazaar and, nowadays, the co-operative. But perhaps the most deeply rooted and dynamic textile tradition is that of the nomads. The skills of dyeing, weaving and embroidery are passed on from generation to generation, from…