Loin cloth of very dark blue cotton decorated with cowrie shells. [JMC 10/12/2020]

Collection type: Object
Description: Loin cloth of very dark blue cotton decorated with cowrie shells. [JMC 10/12/2020]
Long description: Loin cloth of very dark blue cotton decorated with cowrie shells. The textile comprises two squares of very dark cotton, likely dyed in indigo, sewn together to create a cloth of double thickness. A thin bamboo rod is inserted in the fold at the top of the cloth, and another is tied to the top of the cloth with two loops of brown cotton thread. The bottom two thirds of the front flap is decorated with cowrie shells, closely set together in four quadrants with a horizontal band above. Above this is a star made of four cowrie shells. On the reverse, three horizontal splints of bamboo span the centre of the cloth, held in place by regularly spaced loops of brown cotton thread. Beneath this sixteen shorter, vertical bamboo splints are also held in place by loops of brown cotton thread, arranged in two horizontal rows. [JMC 10/12/2020] The textile is a plain-woven with dyed cotton with fibre in Z yarn twist. One rectangular piece is folded widthways at middle section to create a two-layered loincloth. On PR side, approx. 40mm inwards there is either a mend or additional stitch running longitudinally across the length of textile. The cowrie shells and bamboo splints are stitched through both layers of textile. Cowrie shells are individually stitched and ends are knotted at the back. The folded top end is stitched in double running stitch with thick, ochre-coloured twine, which secures the bamboo cane in the fold. Top bamboo cane with concentric incision is then bound onto the bamboo in the fold. Simple looping stitches are observed along the PL, PR, and bottom edges of the textile. [MT 11/12/2020]
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India; Nagaland
Cultural groups: Lotha Naga
Person: Field collector James Philip Mills; PRM source Henry Balfour
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1922
Date collected: By 1922
Acquisition information: Bequeathed: 1939
Materials and processes: Material Cotton Seed Fibre Textile Plant, Material Cowrie Shell, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Material Bamboo Plant, Process Woven, Process Dyed, Process Stitched, Process Tied
Dimensions: Height: max 360 mm, Width: max 287 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1938.35.1474 Other numbers: 2143
Associated publications: Object: Oying Motsü The Story of Our Threads a memoir by Abeni TCK, Main author: Abeni TCK; Editor: Khyochano TCK; Thompson Press India, 2025, Page: 50, Page illustrated: 50

Search terms: Clothing, Textile, Status, Headhunting, Apron, Groin-cover