Lengta, loin cloth, of dark blue textile with a front flap decorated with red-dyed dog hair and cowrie shells. [JMC 16/12/2020]

Collection type: Object
Description: Lengta, loin cloth, of dark blue textile with a front flap decorated with red-dyed dog hair and cowrie shells. [JMC 16/12/2020]
Long description: Lengta, loin cloth, of dark blue textile. The cloth comprises two rectangular lengths of textile laid on top of each other and stitched around the edges, with one end gathered up and sewn into the rounded scrotum bag. The opposite half of the cloth, hung over a belt, becomes the front flap. The front part of this is completely covered in red-dyed dog hair, woven in with a supplementary weft. On top of this a design of cowrie shells is sewn on with white and blue yarn. The cowrie shells are arranged as a circle with a cross in the centre and an arrow shape running downwards from the base of the circle, with more shells at the top and sides of the circle and another one placed in each corner of the flat. The circle of shells is said to represent the moon, the cross to represent the stars, and the red dog hair to represent the fire of enemy villages set alight. [JMC 16/12/2020] The object consist of two layered textile sewn together. The textile is warp-facing, plain-weave, using dyed cotton threads characteristically of indigo dye, and an extensive use of floating wefts using animal derived fibre. The top 4 rows of floating wefts show 1st pick: 3/2, 2nd pick: plain weave, 3rd pick: 3/2, 4th pick: 4/1 weft-facing. From the 5th row weft alternates between 5/1 and 3/2 weft-facing. From 58th row the weft alternates 13/1 and 12/2 weft-facing. The both cotton threads and animal fibre yarns show Z yarn twist. The two layers of textile are sewn together at edges using running stitch with cotton strings in the same dye as the weave threads. The cup-shape of the scrotum bag is created by bringing together the edges of the top corners of the rectangular by sewing together in running stitch. The cowrie shells, similarly, are attached to textile substrate in running stitch. [MT 17/12/2020]
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India; Nagaland
Cultural groups: Chang Naga
Person: Field collector John Henry Hutton; PRM source John Henry Hutton
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1919
Date collected: By 1919
Acquisition information: Donated: 1919, uncertain Donated: 1923, uncertain
Materials and processes: Material Textile, Material Dog Hair Animal, Material Cowrie Shell, Process Woven, Process Dyed, Process Supplementary Weft Woven, Process Stitched
Dimensions: Length: max 414 mm, Length: max 140 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1923.84.753

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