Indian Kashmiri, Kashmir

The undyed ivory ground of this lightweight jamawar textile length is unusual. Poppy flowers uniformly repeat in a half-drop continuous pattern reminiscent of Kashmiri matandar shawls, which employ the density of jamawar design not only in the pallu (border) but also in the matan (central field). Because jamawars used for clothing do not usually repeat a single motif, it is unclear whether this textile was made as yardage for a garment or intended as the garment itself.

A signature that closely resembles the Indic swastika—an ancient, life-affirming symbol—can be found in the lower left corner. Embroidered above is a more ornate gold signature, currently untranslated from Arabic or Urdu.