This ikat textile was made in Central Asia in the nineteenth century – the moment at which these textiles are often thought to be at their finest in terms of design and technique, and certainly the period of ikat's greatest popularity. These textiles are distinctive nineteenth-century creations, full of unmistakable urban energy; but they are also the product of a culture in which the making of textiles had been, for many centuries, a treasured and highly skilled speciality. The making and trading of fine fabrics had been one of Central Asia's chief economic activities ever since the beginnings of the Silk Road. And all through the long period of Islamic dominance, crucial skills and standards of judgment were preserved. Ikats reach back to an unparalleled textile tradition.

Central Asian ikat fabrics were woven in long lengths like this example and were then used to make larger textiles of one of two types. They were either made into clothing or enlarged and used as hangings around the home. Ikats were high status items, often made under the patronage of the courts. The complex and highly skilled method of production – a process of resist dyeing the silk threads before weaving – meant that ikats were labour-intensive and expensive to produce. For this reason ikat clothing was often reserved for special occasions such as weddings and funerals, and was also given by members of the court as ‘robes of honour’ (khilat) to thank or honour high-ranking guests.