Page 23 - Chiense TExtiles, MET MUSEUM Pub 1934

CHINESE TEXTILES
carded the old method with uncharacteristic promptness.
The one gauze fragment found at Lou-Ian is of con-
siderable interest. This weave, which appears to have
been made in China ever since, corresponds exactly with
the true gauze of theW est (technically known as "lena"
weave), in which the warp threads instead of lying par-
allel are arranged in pairs which twist between the wefts.
This serves to give firmness to the fabric and at the same
time produces a more lacelike effect than a loose plain
weave would have. The loose plain weave, similar in ap-
pearance to gauze, is made in China, but it is more com-
monly used as a background for certain types of em-
broidery than as an end in itsel(
We do not find it strange that .go examples of tapestry
work were found among the silk fabrics, since this is the
most fragile of weaves and could scarcely have survived
except under extraordinary circumstances. The wool
tapestry fragments found attest the fact that the tech-
nique was known, at least in the Tarim basin, during
the Han dynasty, and there were discovered among the
textiles excavated by Stein on his first expedition a num-
ber of silk tapestry specimens now labeled T'ang but
which may eventually prove to be earlier. A detailed de-
scription of the silk tapestry, or k' o ssu, technique is
given in the discussion of T'ang weaves, in order to dis-
prove the belief held by many Westerners that it is
really needlework, not weaving.
No examples of brocade have been found among the
Han textiles thus far discovered, but history records that 5-e? c.rf7
I3