Vintage Handwoven Bhutanese Black Kira Textile

Description

Stunning traditional women's dress, known as "kira", from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Kira are always rectangular and are made from three handwoven panels joined in the warp direction. Each end is finished with a neat fringe made by twisting several warp ends together and tying a knot. Kira are wrapped around the body with the design oriented horizontally and fastened with a brooch on the left shoulder.
This kira features a black background (known as "napsham"), which creates a dramatic field for the intricate, multicolored supplementary weft designs. These fine supplementary designs are woven in silk using both the "sapma" and "thrima" techniques.
This Bhutanese kira is a collector's piece and is in excellent condition, ready to display.
materials: cotton/silk
measurements: 61" x 94"
circa: 1960s