Cloth tied around Body

Indian Clothing in Indus Valley Civilisation

The terracotta figurines from the Indus Valley Civilisation indicate that cotton was spun, woven and dyed. This is corroborated by the bone needles and woodenspindles that have been unearthed at the excavation sites of the Indus valley civilization.

The Indus civilisation also knew the process of silk production. Recent analysis of Harappan silk fibres in beads have shown that silk was made by the process of

reeling, the art known only to China till the early centuries AD.

Textiles made of wool finds mention in the Vedic text with reference to Kashmir. The Rig Veda refers to the Valley of Sindh as being abundant in sheep, and the godPushanis addressed as the 'weaver of garments', that evolved into the term pashm for the wool of that area. Woollen shawls have been mentioned in Afghan texts of

the 3rd century BC.

Most of the present knowledge of ancient Indian clothing comes from rock sculptures and the paintings in caves and other monuments. These images show humanfigures wearing clothes that appear to be wrapped or tied around the various parts of the body. From the Sari to the turban and the dhoti, ancient India clothes were

mostly wrapped around in various ways.

The sari was worn with a breast-band tied with a knot at the back. Even children just wore a piece of cloth tied around the waist with

strings.

Both men and women wore ornaments. Early ornaments were mostly made of terracotta beads or shells strung together till metals

came on the scene. Jewellery like necklaces, bangles and earrings were common. The use of flowers as ornaments was also

common.The cave paintings suggest the use of coloured makeup. The forehead hands and palms were decorated with colour.