Cloth for woman's veil (Telia dupatta) or man's waist wrap (Telia lungi) late 19th-early 20th century

This textile, known as Telia Rumal, served as a cloth for a woman's veil (Telia dupatta) or a man's waist wrap (Telia lungi). It comes to us from an anonymous maker. The painstaking process used to create this cloth involved treating the cotton fibers with oil—tel in Hindi—for weeks prior to dyeing. These cloths were historically traded from India to communities in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The creation of the Telia Rumal reflects the economic and social dynamics of its time. The gendered use of the cloth also signals how clothing can function as a marker of identity and social status. The grid-like pattern and deep red borders speak to the ways in which textiles are a cross cultural form of visual communication. Textiles like this were integral to the cultural and economic exchanges that shaped the pre-modern world. They remind us of the rich, complex histories woven into everyday objects.