The middle section of a wooden warping frame used for ikat dyeing. It comprises the breast beam and the back beam which are joined by the commercial cotton warp which is looped around them. Blue plastic 'raffia' (discarded once the warp is spaced on the loom) marks where the heddle stick ('gnenu') and the shed stick ('meru') will be inserted. The warp and breast beam are the same shape and dimensions as those used on a back strap loom upon which the cloth will be woven. This particular type of frame is called a 'langa mane', and is used for preparing the warp of a woman's tubeskirt called an 'ei raja'.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk