Kohistani Dress

Hundreds of handwoven cotton triangles make up the full skirt of this woman’s dress, or jumlo. This piece is from Kohistan, now northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, and would be worn by the woman who made it. Traditionally, it would go with a pair of pants with embroidered cuffs, and a hood-like headdress. The addition of noise-making adornments was said to ward off evil spirits.

The ground is decorated on the sleeves and yoke with colorful, geometric cross stitch and satin stitch embroidery. Various metal coins, glass buttons, and silver pendants surround the embroidery. Polychromatic running stitches outline the triangles of the skirt.