- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Wooden printing block.
- Long description
- Wooden printing block. The pattern carved into the surface of the printing block consists of four rows of zigzags. There are remnants of felt wool on the surface of the zigzags which are dyed green or possibly indigo. Indents have been carved into the side of the block as handles to press the printing block onto the fabric.
- Geographical reference
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1985
- Date collected
- October 1985
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 03/03/2016
- Materials and processes
- Material Wood Plant, Material Pigment, Material Felt Wool Textile Animal, Process Carved, Process Dyed
- Dimensions
- Depth: max 70 mm, Width: max 125 mm, Length: max 154 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 2018.37.10
- Research and responses
Jenny Balfour-Paul's Notes from Syria field trip early October 1985 ... 'At Jisr al Shughar Visited two fabric printers who stopped working about 10 years ago... Many of the blocks are in pairs. They cut their own wooden blocks (as did the Aleppo printers). One had the outline pattern, and the other, which matched it (its 'brother') printed larger areas of colour and had pieces of felt stuck to it. They seemed to call these Assas and Anatir. As lots of water was need in the printing process they carried out their work on the banks of the Orontes. (And said that the indigo dyers worked in workshops in the town)...' [FB 15/3/2018]
These five printing blocks [2018.37.10 - 2018.37.14] appear in a number of photographs taken by Jenny Balfour-Paul [see 2018.137.1070-1071 & 2018.137.2204-.2209]. The information on the slide mounts suggests that the five blocks were given to Jenny Balfour-Paul by former printer Abdul Rahman Bahro at Jisr al-Shughur in October 1985. [Joanna Cole 25/11/2022].
- Associated publications
- Balfour-Paul, Jenny, Indigo in the Arab World, Routledge, 1997 [AF [EFCF project] 23/8/2019] Balfour-Paul, Jenny, Indigo: Egyptian Mummies to Blue Jeans by , British Museum Press, 1998 [AF [EFCF project] 23/8/2019]
Search terms: Textile, Tool, Printing Block
Related
2018.137.1071Photograph of five carved wooden printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, while the three smaller, thin ones are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth with a black printed design of abstract flowers.2018.137.1071
2018.137.2208Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth with a black printed design of abstract flowers.2018.137.2208
2018.137.2206Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth.2018.137.2206
2018.137.2207Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth.2018.137.2207
2018.137.2209Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth with a black printed design of abstract flowers.2018.137.2209
2018.137.1070Photograph of five carved wooden printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two on the right are rectangular with carved zigzag designs, while the three on the left are long and thin with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers.2018.137.1070
2018.137.2204Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth.2018.137.2204
2018.137.2205Photograph of five carved wooden fabric printing blocks from Jisr al-Shughur. The two larger rectangular blocks are carved with zigzag designs, one plain, one with patterns of dots and petals within the zigzags. The three smaller, thin blocks are carved with repeating designs of hearts, curls, and flowers. The blocks are arranged on a white cloth.2018.137.2205
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