The Flowering Desert: Textiles from Sindh

by Hasan Askari (Author), Nasreen Askari (Author)

A lavishly illustrated volume of Pakistani textiles of extraordinary color and vibrancy from one of the most arid areas on Earth. This stunning book showcases over 120 remarkable objects with a further 30 images of the textiles in use.

The Flowering Desert explores the history and craftsmanship, the styles and the stitches of textiles from Sindh in Pakistan, which, according to some scholars, was the crucible in which the textile traditions of Gujarat and Rajasthan were forged. It focuses on a spectacular private collection, parts of which have exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London and the National Museums of Scotland.

The textile crafts of Sindh are amongst the oldest in South Asia. A kaleidoscope of color, mirrors and embroidery, Sindhi textiles feature motifs of the cosmos, desert flowers, peacocks, scorpions and sand dunes. The topography of the land has led to the emergence of styles of dress and ornamentation that have become markers of identity for the various tribes of the region. The inhabitants of the central plains have dyeing, printing, weaving and embroidery skills, whilst those who inhabit the plain between the west bank of the Indus and the Kirthar and Lakhi mountains employ finely embroidered geometric patterns with mirrors. The areas to the north are known for their festive and intricate silver thread embroideries. Thread-work embroideries from the semi desert region of Tharparkar in the southeast are among the most evocative, with stylized motifs of the flowers and birds of the desert.

In addition to sumptuous photography of over 120 remarkable objects—from tunics and turban sashes to dowry bags and animal adornments—the book includes a further 30 images of the textiles in use, essays on the history of the region, its tribes and their differing styles, as well as on the numerous stitches used in Sindhi embroidery and on the various techniques of printing on and painting fabric.