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.

The earliest dated Central Asian ikats in the UK are from the Shaw collection at the Ashmolean Museum, which are known to date from before 1868. The V&A’s collection of lengths of ikat fabrics came into the collection in 1880 from the India Office. Documentation handed over with them record that they were purchased on two separate occasions, the first group in Kabul in 1870 and the second (including this piece) in Yarkand (modern-day Shache in China) in April 1875. We can therefore date these textiles to prior to these acquisition years.