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== Indian Loom Technology ==

== Indian Loom Technology ==

[[File:Pitloom.PNG|left|thumb|'''Fig. 1. Pitloom''': Horizontal counter balance pit loom with shafts and treadles. This loom is positioned within the living accomodation of the weaver and therefore, allows for integration with other domestic activities and pasttimes. Note the narrow reed. This loom is used for weaving tribal loin cloths. Weaver, Sri Rama Bhai Wanker, Chota Udepur, Gujarat. Source: INSA Publication.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n401/mode/2up P.363], Fig.3b.</ref>]]

[[File:Pitloom.PNG|left|thumb|'''Fig. 1. Pitloom''': Horizontal counter balance pit loom with shafts and treadles. This loom is positioned within the living accomodation of the weaver and therefore, allows for integration with other domestic activities and pasttimes. Note the narrow reed. This loom is used for weaving tribal loin cloths. Weaver, Sri Rama Bhai Wanker, Chota Udepur, Gujarat. Courtesy: INSA.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n405/mode/2up P.366], Fig.4.</ref>]]

[[File:Shed Formation.PNG|thumb|'''Fig. 2. Shed Formation''': In order to create a shed, the suspended heddle shaft is slightly lifted. A flat stick is inserted in the small shed formed. This stick is then turned on its side to get a wider opening. The counter shed is formed by taking out the flat stick and bringing the shed rod closer to the heddle shaft. Although there is a continuous warp, usually the full warp is stretched out horizontally. Source: INSA Publication.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n401/mode/2up P.363], Fig.3b.</ref>]]

[[File:Shed Formation.PNG|thumb|'''Fig. 2. Shed Formation''': In order to create a shed, the suspended heddle shaft is slightly lifted. A flat stick is inserted in the small shed formed. This stick is then turned on its side to get a wider opening. The counter shed is formed by taking out the flat stick and bringing the shed rod closer to the heddle shaft. Although there is a continuous warp, usually the full warp is stretched out horizontally. Courtesy: INSA.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n401/mode/2up P.363], Fig.3b.</ref>]]

The loom has been defined by Dorothy Burnham as, <blockquote>''“any device for weaving on which the warp may be arranged and openings for the passage of the weft formed through it by a shedding mechanism.”'' </blockquote>The predominant loom in India has been the pitloom of the horizontal counter-balance treadle type (Refer Fig.1). Broadly speaking, on the basis of ethnological evidence, the evolution of the Indian loom could be postulated as follows:  

The loom has been defined by Dorothy Burnham as, <blockquote>''“any device for weaving on which the warp may be arranged and openings for the passage of the weft formed through it by a shedding mechanism.”'' </blockquote>The predominant loom in India has been the pitloom of the horizontal counter-balance treadle type (Refer Fig.1). Broadly speaking, on the basis of ethnological evidence, the evolution of the Indian loom could be postulated as follows:  

* At the first stage, the loom may have had shed sticks and heddles (Refer Fig.2).  

* At the first stage, the loom may have had shed sticks and heddles (Refer Fig.2).  

* Next came the introduction of the reed that maintained even spacing and tension and served to comb the warp ends in course of weaving; As also that shaft, treadle and, perhaps, the barrell dobby (Refer Fig.3).[[File:Barrel dobby.PNG|thumb|'''Fig. 3. Barrel dobby mechanism''': The loom used for weaving Karvathi Kati dhoti. Photographed at Suraj Mela, 1987. Source: INSA Publication.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n401/mode/2up P.363], Fig.3b.</ref>]]

* Next came the introduction of the reed that maintained even spacing and tension and served to comb the warp ends in course of weaving; As also the shaft, treadle and, perhaps, the barrell dobby (Refer Fig.3).

The loin or body tension loom is used in the northeastern part of the country. It is a very early loom type used extensively in East and Southeast Asia in which the weaver regulates tension by moving backwards or forwards as required in course of weaving. This movement releases the warp threads and also facilitates the separation of the sheds (For details, see Shirali, pp. 83-87) (Figs. 6a-c).

[[File:Barrel dobby.PNG|thumb|'''Fig. 3. Barrel dobby mechanism''': The loom used for weaving Karvathi Kati dhoti. Photographed at Suraj Mela, 1987. Courtesy: INSA.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n401/mode/2up P.363], Fig.5.</ref>]]The loin or body tension loom is used in the northeastern part of the country. It is a very early loom type used extensively in East and Southeast Asia in which the weaver regulates tension by moving backwards or forwards as required in course of weaving. This movement releases the warp threads and also facilitates the separation of the sheds (Refer Fig. 4, 5 & 6).

 

[[File:Loinloom 1.PNG|left|thumb|'''Fig. 4. Loin loom and loom parts:''' 1. Bamboo which serves the same purpose as the warp beam in a horizontal loom. 2. Thin bamboo rod which acts as a lease rod. 3. Bamboo shod stick. 4. Thin bamboo heddle stick which holds the yarn heddles. 5. Wooden beater. 6. Wooden rods which serve the same purpose as the cloth beam in a horizontal loom. 7. Leather back-strap. 8. The continuous warp. 9. The woven fabric. 10. Mat spread on the floor on which the weaver sits. Courtesy: INSA.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n407/mode/2up P.368], Fig.6a.</ref>]]

[[File:Change of Shed 1.PNG|thumb|'''Fig. 5. Change of shed in loin loom 1:''' 1. Lease rod. 2. Bamboo shod stick. 3. Heddle rod. 4. Yarn to make the heddle. 5. Weft. Courtesy: INSA.<ref>A. K. Bag, History of Technology in India (Vol. I), New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, Lotika Varadarajan & Krishna Amin Patel, Textile Technology, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.205662/page/n407/mode/2up P.369], Fig.6b.i.</ref>]]

The loom used for Patola {double ikat) weaving in Patan, Gujarat, receives support from above and the sides. It is bereft of a treadle mechanism. It is a single harness loom with provision for two sheds. Every alternative warp end is threaded through a half heddle. Thus the shedding arrangement is based upon the division of the warp ends into two units. The shed rod is used to form one shed and half heddles for the formation of the second. These groupings of odd and even ends interlace alternately in course of weaving. The weaving sword helps in extending each shed opening and is used for beating in the weft. The resultant weave is an even tabby {Figs. 7a-c,8).

The loom used for Patola {double ikat) weaving in Patan, Gujarat, receives support from above and the sides. It is bereft of a treadle mechanism. It is a single harness loom with provision for two sheds. Every alternative warp end is threaded through a half heddle. Thus the shedding arrangement is based upon the division of the warp ends into two units. The shed rod is used to form one shed and half heddles for the formation of the second. These groupings of odd and even ends interlace alternately in course of weaving. The weaving sword helps in extending each shed opening and is used for beating in the weft. The resultant weave is an even tabby {Figs. 7a-c,8).

Ornamentation on the loom can be achieved by introducing variations in color while maintaining a simple tabby weave {Fig.8). Similar effects can be achieved by using double cloth techniques in which warp ends are manipulated at two or more levels by relevant shafts and heddles. An example of this technique may be found in the khes (27) of Punjab {Figs.9a-b.).  

Ornamentation on the loom can be achieved by introducing variations in color while maintaining a simple tabby weave {Fig.8). Similar effects can be achieved by using double cloth techniques in which warp ends are manipulated at two or more levels by relevant shafts and heddles. An example of this technique may be found in the khes (27) of Punjab {Figs.9a-b.).  

 

(27) The item categorised as khes in Pakistan corresponds to the article in Fig. 9b. In India, however, there appears to have been two categories, khes and majnu. Khes is a rough quality off-white or checked handloom material used as wrapper in Punjab. According to Sri D.N. Vij, Panipat Textile Handicrafts, Panipat, majnu is a double cloth with a patterning as shown in Fig. 9h. The technique was ascribed by him to Multan.

(27) The item categorised as khes in Pakistan corresponds to the article in Fig. 9b. In India, however, there appears to have been two categories, khes and majnu. Khes is a rough quality off-white or checked handloom material used as wrapper in Punjab. According to Sri D.N. Vij, Panipat Textile Handicrafts, Panipat, majnu is a double cloth with a patterning as shown in Fig. 9h. The technique was ascribed by him to Multan.