Shawl

In the Middle East shawls were worn by all classes of people, and those made in the Kashmir region were especially renowned for their great beauty, fine wool, and superior warmth. These luxurious garments were exported through Persian intermediaries and available only to nobility and the upper classes. The Kashmir shawl industry began in the 17th century and developed over 300 years through four periods of foreign political rule. This shawl can be dated between the Afghan period (1753-1819) and the Sikh period (1819-1846). In each of the shawl’s four corners the botehs—a design based on the Farsi word for immature flower or palm leaf—encroach into the cream center field.