**First Time At Auction**

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, ca. early 20th century CE. A large, fine example of a traditional Uzbek textile, called an ikat, woven with hand-spun silk yarn. The pomegranate motif is a common one, and is repeated here in bright pink, yellow, purple, and lavender. Ikat as a weaving technique arose independently in different parts of the world, but this example is clearly Uzbek. It is known as "abrabandi", "bound cloud" there, where artists use a resist dye process where the warp yarn (vertical threads) is bound and dyed by hand before it is woven into the weft yarn (horizontal thread). Size: 56" W x 84.5" H (142.2 cm x 214.6 cm)

Ikat weaving is part of the legacy of the Silk Road, and it is centered in the Fergana Valley in south-central Uzbekistan. From at least the 12th century CE, royal commendation in Central Asian courts was bestowed in the form of ikat robes. This lasted until the Soviet regime of the 20th century, when production became standardized and designs were sold under trade names like Sputnik or Kremlin. This example pre-dates the Soviet takeover.

Provenance: private Moore collection, Denver, Colorado, USA, acquired thirty years ago

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#123365

Slight signs of wear, with a very small amount of fraying at the edges.