Gota
c.1855 (made)
| Place of origin |
Gota, or ribbon woven of silk and strips of silver, was made in varying widths to trim garments. Used all over South Asia, it could be plain silver or gilded silver, patterned with coloured silks, or embossed like this example. Before cheaper copper replaced silver in the 20th century, old garments with heavy gota trimming were often burned to melt down and extract the valuable metal.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Woven silk and silver-strip |
| Brief description | Length of gota (ribbon), woven silk and metal strip, embossed, Delhi, c.1855; Textiles |
| Physical description | Wide length of silk and silver-strip woven ribbon (gota). Embossed with a large repeating diamond pattern, each diamond containing an alternating central patten; grided blossoms, diagonal floral scrolls, and a large stem of flowering poppies. The central diamond in the length contains a sun-like circle design. One end cut, the other finished by a band of red silk and raw fringe. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | GOTA (RIBBON)
Woven silk and silver strips, embossed
Delhi
c. 1855
Gota, or ribbon woven of silk and strips of silver, was made in varying widths to trim garments. Used all over South Asia, it could be plain silver or gilded silver, patterned with coloured silks, or embossed like this example. Before cheaper copper replaced silver in the 20th century, old garments with heavy gota trimming were often burned to melt down and extract the valuable metal.(01/08/2017) |
| Object history | Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. Slip book entry 607; 'Price to addded / Silver Ribbon Stamped / Delhi / 1855 / Purchased / Five pieces various widths' |
| Summary | Gota, or ribbon woven of silk and strips of silver, was made in varying widths to trim garments. Used all over South Asia, it could be plain silver or gilded silver, patterned with coloured silks, or embossed like this example. Before cheaper copper replaced silver in the 20th century, old garments with heavy gota trimming were often burned to melt down and extract the valuable metal. |
| Other number | 607 - India Museum Slip Book |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 6241(IS) |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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