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Vol-1, XXix
ARCHAEOLOGICAL ART OF APPARELS
51
a particular era formed the basis from which these disciplines could study the culture, human history and living styles of that period. This article tries to capture the essence about the chronology of apparels in India. NEOLITHIC PERIOD
In Neolithic period the art of weaving was practiced as seen by the presence of bones, needles kaolin, spindle, discs, bone shutters and clay discs with holes. The spinning discs (clay) may imply that some sort of flax of fleece of certain animals was spun into threads clay beads may have been used as well. (B.P. Sinha 1979). The ancient Indian art especially that of hand spun and hand woven fabrics is synonymous with Indian tradition. India was the first country in the whole wide world to have perfected the art of weaving. In fact in one of the hymns of Rig-yeda there are subtle references to the techniques of weaving.
A story in the great epic Ramayana too mentions how a list of wedding gifts which were presented to Sita by her father Janak-consisted not just of the finest silken clothes but that of various colourful fur and woolens costumes studded with precious stones. In Mahabharata too the episode of Vastraharan (the act of forcefully snatching the clothes) of Draupadi by Duryodhan stands testimony that costumes were developed even in that ancient period.
The domestication of sheep's began in Egypt and the first woolen came from Angora and Arabia. The cultivation of flax cotton happened in India as discovered during the excavation of Harrappa and Mohenjodaro (2500 to 1500 B.C.). Flax was also cultivated around 4000 or 5000 BC in Mesopotamia and used extensively by Egyptians.
In the excavation of Mohenjo-dero (The earliest known civilization of India) the relics studied stand proof to the high state of advancement in the art of weaving which was reached during that time and age.
The discovery of numerous spindles from homes stands testimony to the fact that spinning of cotton and wool was very common and perhaps a practiced art by the rich and the poor.
It was also latter examined that the cotton used at Mohenjo-dero was the same coarse cotton variety presently used in India. The Sindh valley is considered as the origin of cotton. The word 'Sindhu' apparently means cotton. (Dr
