TECHNIQUE

Traditional methods to decorate textiles had their origins in antiquity. Fragment finds at archeological digs from Mohenjo-Daro (5000 B.C.) and garment depictions  on rock paintings (Ajanta, 500 A.D.) give evidence of early skills. Due to their fragile nature the finds are few, however references to cloths dyed many colours date back 5000 years from writings in the Mahabharata. What surprises is the fact that early man discovered the key to complex dyeing processes on fibres so highly resistant to colouring. India held the secret to many difficult dye techniques, giving them a trade superiority for over a thousand years, only lost with the European  development of synthetic dyes.

The Ajanta cave drawings were the first record of what appear to be ikat designs. The ikat process is a technique of decorating yarn before the weaving begins, organizing carefully planned motifs to be dyed through a resist process of binding areas before dyeing. Several bindings and dyeings take place depending on the number of colours used. The weaving is plain cloth but highly decorated by the pre-determined designs.

The complex technical processes documented here are divided into four areas. (1) Treatment of the cotton fibre with mordants to enable dye to bond. (2) Design of the motifs including plan of thread organization. (3) Tie and dye procedures. (4) Weaving the fabric.

Start by looking at treatment.