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Cambodian Spinning Fibers produced in Cambodia were silk, cotton, and hemp, [1] and banana fibers are used to make resists strings.[2] Silk fibers are especially common as they are used in the ikat weaving Cambodia is known for, and was made popular by the Angkor Dynasty.[3] The silk produced in Cambodia is a saffron-yellow color by nature (not the typical silk white) because of the breed of silkworm that grows best there.[4] A modern woman spinning on a wheel in Cambodia.[5] It’s *NOT* a period wheel, but it’s clearly modeled after on, probably a Japanese style one? Hard to tell. It’s a reeling wheel![5] Hard to say exactly how old this one is, but it looks like the ones from Chinese paintings from the 1300s! References [1] Albion Gould, “A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia,” A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia, July 3, 2023, https://albiongould.com/a-brief-history-of-weaving-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Weaving%20in%20Cambodia%20dates%20back,hemp%2C%20which%20were%20sourced%20locally. [2] Emily von Borsitel, Textile Arts Center, August 27, 2019, https://textileartscenter.com/feature/the-complex-art-of-cambodian-ikat/. [4] Morimoto Kikuo, “Traces of War: The Revival of Silk Weaving in Cambodia,” Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings, 2002, 199–204. [5] Albion Gould, “A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia,” A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia, July 3, 2023, https://albiongould.com/a-brief-history-of-weaving-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Weaving%20in%20Cambodia%20dates%20back,hemp%2C%20which%20were%20sourced%20locally.

Cotton Spinning – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Afghanistan Spinning cotton is done on a drop spindle in Afghanistan.[1] Cotton has been grown in Afghanistan since the 3rd millennium BCE.[2] Banglidesh The Banglideshi are known for making cotton, specifically Dhaka cotton.[3] Dhaka cotton was processed very uniquely. The cotton staple was so short and the fibers so fine that the fibers were spread out by boats at dawn and late afternoon and that when they were spun.[4] The process was so specialized and so intense that it took the entire region to make the fabric.[5] The spinners would use charkhas to spin the cotton while on the boat, then sell the teeny threads to the weavers in the next town.[6] Bhutan Cotton is common fiber found in Bhutan[7] Brunei A lot of cotton is spun and woven in Brunei.[8] This is mostly due to the fact that religiously, men can only wear cotton.[9] Cambodia Fibers produced in Cambodia were silk, cotton, and hemp. [10] China Cotton has been grown in China since 200 BCE.[11] However, it was a household crop, and was not processed in factories or warehouses until the Qing dynasty (1644-1800).[12] India Silks are super common to see spun in India. As are cottons. Those are probably the two most common fibers depending on exactly where you are in India (it’s a big place!) with the north seeing a little more silk than the south, though the south would see silk in the cities and wealthier areas. Indonesia In Indonesia, it was said that the first human couple, Miala Ratu Nggela and Mamu Ratu Ngguku, dropped from the sky in a basket of red cotton, and Miala Ratu Nggela made clothes for her husband with it, so red cotton was sacred.[13] Japan Japan started growing and producing cotton in the 6th century. While it started as a cottage industry, it quickly grew to be a very popular industry.[14] Kazakhstan Kazakhstan does grow cotton, but has only done so recently. There is not much evidence of them importing unspun, unwoven cotton.[15] Laos When the Tai Kadai arrived in Laos, the people there, the Mon- Khmer, had a tradition of weaving cotton and hemp.[16] While it’s possible they imported spun cotton and hemp, it’s more likely they spun it themselves. Nepal The primary fibers in Nepal were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[17] Philippines In the Philippines, fibers are mostly cotton blends with other plants, such as abaca, pineapple, and banana fibers.[18] Sri Lanka The spinning and weaving of cotton in Sri Lanka can be traced back to at least 543 BCE.[19] The story goes that Prince Vijaya saw Kuveni, Queen of the Yakshas, spinning cotton at a wheel, and they fell in love and started a dynasty of Sri Lankan royalty.[20] Thailand In Thailand, whorls for cotton thread have been found in excavation sites in Sukhothai.[21] Cotton was imported from India as early as 100 CE.[22] With the date of these imports, it's likely that cotton was also grown, just in small amounts. By the 12th century cotton was a cash crop. Dating to the Sassanian Empire (224 to 651 CE), the fibers found and produced in Turkmenistan were wool, cotton, and silk.[23] During this time period, cotton was spun on a drop spindle.[24] Uzbekistan The agricultural people of Uzbekistan would also grow cotton and silkworms (sericulture) and spin on hand cranked wheels.[25] References [1] “Spinning a Lucrative Yarn in Afghanistan,” ReliefWeb, October 3, 2012, https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/spinning-lucrative-yarn-afghanistan. [2] Daniel Balland, “Cotton III. in Afghanistan,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, October 21, 2024, https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cotton-iii/. [3] Zaria Gorvett, “The Ancient Fabric That No One Knows How to Make,” BBC News, February 24, 2022, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210316-the-legendary-fabric-that-no-one-knows-how-to-make. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid. [6] Gopika Nath, “Garland Magazine,” Garland Magazine Spinning a Yarn Unparalleled Comments, December 6, 2016, https://garlandmag.com/article/spinning-a-yarn-unparalleled/. [7] “Thagzo: The Art of Weaving.” Ich Links. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [8] Siti Norkhalbi Haji Wahsalfelah, “Brunei Culture through Its Textile Weaving Tradition,” SUVANNABHUMI 8, no. 2 (December 2016): 113–29, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO201612359886243.pdf. [9] Ibid. [10] Albion Gould, “A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia,” A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia, July 3, 2023, https://albiongould.com/a-brief-history-of-weaving-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Weaving%20in%20Cambodia%20dates%20back,hemp%2C%20which%20were%20sourced%20locally. [11] Harriet Zurndorfer, “The Resistant Fibre: The Pre-Modern History of Cotton in China,” Academia.edu, June 8, 2016, https://www.academia.edu/25993017/The_Resistant_Fibre_The_Pre_modern_History_of_Cotton_in_China. [12] Ibid. [13] Georges Breguet, “A Sumba Spinning Wheel: An Instrument, a Work of Art and a Lesson in Philosophy,” Art of the Ancestors, February 15, 2015, https://www.artoftheancestors.com/blog/sumba-spinning-wheel-georges-breguet. [14] Rohan, “What Is Japanese Cotton Fabric,” Knowing Fabric, September 4, 2023, https://knowingfabric.com/what-is-japanese-cotton-fabric/. [15] Zh. B. Kundakbayeva, “The History of Kazakhstan from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Volume I. from the Earliest Period To,” dokumen.pub, 2016, https://dokumen.pub/the-history-of-kazakhstan-from-the-earliest-period-to-the-present-time-volume-i-from-the-earliest-period-to.html . [16] “Textile Guide: Lao Weaves,” House of Wandering Silk, August 1, 2016, https://www.wanderingsilk.org/post/2016/08/01/textiles-360-lao-weaves. [17] Ibid [18] Arel B Sia-Ed, “Inventory and Resource Mapping of Fiber Yielding Plants in Mountain Province ,” www.ijsmsjournal.org , 2019, https://www.ijsmsjournal.org/2019/volume-2%20issue-1/ijsms-v2i1p101.pdf. [19] Thilina Premjayanth, “Fibershed Sri Lanka,” Fibershed, March 24, 2023, https://fibershed.org/affiliate/sri-lanka/#:~:text=Cotton%20spinning%20and%20weaving%20in,home%20or%20community%2Doriented%20industry. [20] “The History of Sri Lanka Handloom Culture,” Khiri Travel, January 1, 2022, https://khiri.com/the-history-of-sri-lanka-handloom-culture/. [21] Jackson, “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes,” My Thailand , May 20, 2019, https://www.mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ . [22] Ibid. [23] Dominika Maja Kossowska-Janik, “Cotton and Wool: Textile Economy in the SERAKHS Oasis during the Late Sasanian Period, the Case of Spindle Whorls from Gurukly Depe (Turkmenistan),” Ethnobiology Letters 7, no. 1 (December 31, 2016), https://doi.org/10.14237/ebl.7.1.2016.682. [24] Ibid. [25] Binafsha Nodir, “Historical Overview of Weaving in Uzbekistan ,” World Bulletin of Social Science 22 (May 24, 2023): 143–54. https://scholarexpress.net/index.php/wbss/article/view/2765/2373

Bhutan Spinning In Bhutanese culture, the art of weaving is strongly correlated with religion.[1] Drop spindles are called phang and spinning wheels are called haphang.[2] Nettle or stinging nettle, though now rarely used, is said to have been the original and chief fibre used by weavers in ancient Bhutan. Cotton is another common fiber found in Bhutan Bhutanese do not kill the silkworm before it escapes the cocoon, so it is not a single, smooth thread. This is why the silk from Bhutan is not as smooth as the silk from India or China. Wools are typically made from yak, sheep, and goat. They are spun on both drop spindles and on wheels.[2] Bhutanese woman spinning in a market[3] I love her spindle. I want to look at it closer![4] References [1] Izitndmy, “Textile in Bhutan - the Bhutanese Art of Weaving,” Bhutan Pelyab Tours And Treks, June 5, 2024, https://bhutanpelyabtours.com/textile-in-bhutan-the-bhutanese-art-of-weaving/. [2] Thagzo: The Art of Weaving.” Ich Links. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [3] Travelib Bhutan, Bhutan, Nobding Bazaar, Woman Spinning Cotton Thread by Hand on Wheel, July 22, 2012, photograph, July 22, 2012. [4] Dennis Kirkland, Asia, Bhutan, Bumthang. Woman Spinning Yarn, April 26, 2010, photograph, April 26, 2010.

Myanmar Spinning Pyu people were known to be peaceful to the extent of wearing cotton so as to not kill silkworms.[1] Spinning silk. I love her reeling wheel[2] References [1] Jeffrey Hays, “Pyu People and Civilization,” Facts and Details, 2008, https://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5a/entry-2996.html. [2] Annie Owen, Woman Spinning Silk Thread on a Spinning Wheel with Bicycle Wheel, Ko Than Hlaing Weaving, Inpawkhan, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia, January 2016, photograph, Robert Harding, January 2016, https://www.robertharding.com/preview/805-904/woman-spinning-silk-thread-spinning-wheel-bicycle-wheel/.

Book Charkha Spinning – India Modernly, the book or Peti Charkha is a novelty spinning wheel that is relatively cheap to purchase compared to most wheels and can be found on quite a few websites where spinning wheels are sold, though there are delicately few instructions for them. I have also found instructions for 3D printed book charkas which might be good for classes, but I’m not sure how good they would be for general wear and tear. This wheel is… not period. But it is delightfully portable and I’ve seen it at multiple SCA events. It was invented between 1920 and 1940.[1] So do with this information what you will. A picture of an open book charkhra. This will disassemble and fold down to be the size of a large book. I've had success spinning wool on it more than cotton or silk, but that might be because I'm more practiced in wool.[1] References [1] Nakonechny, Joanne. “First Steps in Charkha Spinning.” Spin Off, July 4, 2022. https://spinoffmagazine.com/first-steps-in-charkha-spinning/ .

Nepal Spinning घुम्ने पाङ्ग्रा Ghumnē pāṅgrā (Spinning Wheel) धुरी Dhurī (Spindle) कताई फाइबर Katā'ī phā'ibara (Spinning Fibers) in Nepalese Wheels are very similar to those of Japan, with spoked wheels that are hand cranked. A woman at her wheel, the drive band is a thread made of cotton, likely scrap from something else. The spindle isn’t really visible, but from what I can see, it’s almost full of thread.[1] Depending on material, the spindle spinning could be done as drop or in hand. Animal fibers were mostly done drop, while plant fibers were mostly done in hand. While this did vary from region to region, this seems to have been fairly consistent across Nepal.[2] The primary fibers were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[3] References [1] Jon G Fuller, “A Nepali Woman Spins Wool Thread with a Hand-Cranked Spinning Wheel in the Medieval Newari Village of Khokana, Nepal Stock Photo,” Alamy, April 5, 2013, https://www.alamy.com/a-nepali-woman-spins-wool-thread-with-a-hand-cranked-spinning-wheel-in-the-medieval-newari-village-of-khokana-nepal-image454084442.html. [2] Josefin Waltin, “Spinning in Nepal,” Josefin Waltin spinner, January 17, 2018, https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/spinning-in-nepal/. [3] Ibid

Let's be honest... Some of us already know how to spin and are willing to make our Asiatic persona fit around the type of spinning we do. I'm all for it. These are the main types of spinning that you find in Asian cultures in period and how you can tailor your persona around the spinning aspects Pick a Type of Spinning Itogurama Wheel Charkha Drum Wheel Chinese Treadle Book Charkha Drop Spindle Supported Spindle In Hand Spinning

Bast Fibers Spinning – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Nepal, Philippine, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand Amenia The fibers spun in Armenia are cotton, silk, and linen for fabrics.[1] Azerbaijan Spun wool dates to the 4th millennium BCE in Azerbaijan, and while dyed spun flax date to 34,000 BCE.[2] Bhutan In Bhutan, nettle or stinging nettle, though now rarely used, is said to have been the original and chief fibre used by weavers in ancient Bhutan.[3] Cambodia Fibers produced in Cambodia were silk, cotton, and hemp, [4] and banana fibers are used to make resists strings.[5] Japan In Japan, before the innovation of cotton and silk, all there was to wear was hemp.[6] Laos When the Tai Kadai arrived in Laos, the people there, the Mon- Khmer, had a tradition of weaving cotton and hemp.[7] While it’s possible they imported spun cotton and hemp, it’s more likely they spun it themselves. Nepal The primary fibers in Nepal were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[8] Philippines Fibers in the Philippines are mostly cotton blends with other plants, such as abaca, pineapple, and banana fibers.[9] Russia Russia was a main grower and producer of flax, not just for Asia, but for Europe.[10] Sri Lanka Hemp has also been processed and spun through history in Sri Lanka, also using the wheels.[11] Thailand Found that Thailand used hemp as a major fiber type.[12] The hemp is treated very similarly to flax, where it's dried and retted, then the fibers are spun. That's been spun in Thailand since 3,000 BCE.[13] References [1] “Arts of Armenia,” Textiles - Armenian Studies Program, accessed June 16, 2025, https://cah.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies/resources/artsofarmenia/textiles.html. [2] Cosima Stewart, “The History of Weaving in the Caucasus,” Cabana Magazine, December 21, 2024, https://cabanamagazine.com/blogs/atlas-of-craftsmanship/the-history-of-weaving-in-the-caucasus . [3] “Thagzo: The Art of Weaving,” Ich Links, accessed June 22, 2025, https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [4] Albion Gould, “A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia,” A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia, July 3, 2023, https://albiongould.com/a-brief-history-of-weaving-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Weaving%20in%20Cambodia%20dates%20back,hemp%2C%20which%20were%20sourced%20locally. [5] Emily von Borsitel, Textile Arts Center, August 27, 2019, https://textileartscenter.com/feature/the-complex-art-of-cambodian-ikat/. [6] Jim Austin, “Short History of Japanese Textiles,” Kimonoboy, July 1, 2018, https://www.kimonoboy.com/short_history.html. [7] “Textile Guide: Lao Weaves,” House of Wandering Silk, August 1, 2016, https://www.wanderingsilk.org/post/2016/08/01/textiles-360-lao-weaves. [8] Ibid [9] Arel B Sia-Ed, “Inventory and Resource Mapping of Fiber Yielding Plants in Mountain Province ,” www.ijsmsjournal.org , 2019, https://www.ijsmsjournal.org/2019/volume-2%20issue-1/ijsms-v2i1p101.pdf. [10] “Introduction: The Culture of Cloth,” The Museum of Russian Art, accessed June 14, 2025, https://tmora.org/online-exhibitions/a-homespun-life-textiles-of-old-russia/introduction-the-culture-of-cloth/. [11] “The History of Sri Lanka Handloom Culture,” Khiri Travel, January 1, 2022, https://khiri.com/the-history-of-sri-lanka-handloom-culture/. [12] Jackson, “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes,” My Thailand , May 20, 2019, https://www.mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ . [13] Ibid.

Sri Lanka Spinning The spinning and weaving of cotton can be traced back to at least 543 BCE.[1] The story goes that Prince Vijaya saw Kuveni, Queen of the Yakshas, spinning cotton at a wheel, and they fell in love and started a dynasty of Sri Lankan royalty.[2] Hemp has also been processed and spun through history, also using the wheels.[3] Silk is also found being processed in the homes of Sri Lankans.[3] You know, I can’t honestly figure out the wooden cone thing. If she’s spinning silk, it could be a reeling… thing. And I’m struggling to come up with other guesses. I’d love to hear them![4] References [1] Thilina Premjayanth, “Fibershed Sri Lanka,” Fibershed, March 24, 2023, https://fibershed.org/affiliate/sri-lanka/#:~:text=Cotton%20spinning%20and%20weaving%20in,home%20or%20community%2Doriented%20industry. [2] “The History of Sri Lanka Handloom Culture,” Khiri Travel, January 1, 2022, https://khiri.com/the-history-of-sri-lanka-handloom-culture/. [3] Karin Hellaby, “Traditional Crafts of Sri Lanka,” Stitchtopia Craft Holidays, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.stitchtopia.co.uk/holiday/traditional-crafts-of-sri-lanka#:~:text=Handloom%20weaving%20is%20a%20centuries,create%20intricate%20patterns%20and%20designs. [4] Evolution of Sri Lankan Textile Education from Ancient Times to the 21st Century, 2008, photograph, Google Images, 2008, https://images.app.goo.gl/Zp57pxLNSeouXtRy6.3

Drum Wheel – Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Uzbekistan Afghanistan I found pictures of Afghani women spinning on drum wheels, I’m just not sure about anything else. An Afghani woman spinning what appears to be cotton on a floor hand cranked wheel[1] Armenia Armenia has used drum wheels recently, not sure when they started or what was used before. An Armenian woman spinning on a weird drum wheel.[2] I love the way this wheel looks. I wonder how heavy it is? Azerbaijan In Azerbaijan, modernly, they use drum wheels. Once again, not sure how long they’ve been using them. An Azerbaijani woman spinning on a wheel.[3] Cyprus My research on Cyprus came up mostly with spindles, but I found an engraving of a woman spinning on a tilted drum wheel. A woodblock engraving of a Cyprus woman spinning. It’s interesting that she has the wheel tilted. I like it.[4] Uzbekistan In Uzbekistan, it was the farming/agriculturally based sector of the population that would have used the wheel, and they used the drum wheel. The nomadic peoples would have used spindles. It looks like the distance between drum and spindle is really hecking small on this one! Anyway, this is a Uzbekistani woman spinning cotton.[5] References [1] R.B. Holmes, Pathan Woman Spinning, North-West Frontier , January 7, 2022, photograph, Facebook , January 7, 2022. [2] An Armenian Woman Spinning Thread, April 4, 2023, photograph, Instagram, April 4, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/CqnVshAgzj8/. [3] Cosima Stewart, “The History of Weaving in the Caucasus,” Cabana Magazine, December 21, 2024, https://cabanamagazine.com/blogs/atlas-of-craftsmanship/the-history-of-weaving-in-the-caucasus . [4] Tristam Ellis, Spinning Wheel in Cyprus, July 15, 2011, photograph, Getty Images, July 15, 2011, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/spinning-wheel-in-cyprus-royalty-free-illustration/184314918?adppopup=true. [5] David Trilling, “Before Uzbekistan’s Cotton Industry Exploded, a Russian General Made These Pictures,” Eurasianet, April 26, 2019, https://eurasianet.org/before-uzbekistans-cotton-industry-exploded-a-russian-general-made-these-pictures.

Silk Spinning – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Armenia Armenia, started by importing silk from China, but eventually had their own sericulture.[1] Sericulture has been an industry in Azerbaijan since the 7th century.[2] Azerbaijan was known for its silk fabrics, as they were the basis of brocades, darai, diba and zarbaft.[3] Bangladesh made more than 50% of textiles of the Indian subcontinent and around 40% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia .[4] Bhutan Bhutanese do not kill the silkworm before it escapes the cocoon, so it is not a single, smooth thread.[5] This is why the silk from Bhutan is not as smooth as the silk from India or China.[6] In Brunei, silk fabrics are produced for household goods and women’s clothing, just not for men’s clothing, and men are considered to be the largest consumers in Brunei.[7] Songket is popular in Brunei, where the fabric is intricately woven with patterns and then inlaid with silver and gold threads.[8] Brunei does not spin all the thread it uses for the weaving that it does, nor has it done so historically.[9] Cambodia The silk produced in Cambodia is a saffron-yellow color by nature (not the typical silk white) because of the breed of silkworm that grows best there.[10] Silk fibers are especially common as they are used in the ikat weaving Cambodia is known for, and was made popular by the Angkor Dynasty.[11] China Based on their technology and exports, silk was the primary driving fiber in China. Discovered in 2640 BCE, the silk industry has been growing in China since, first limited to emperors and kings, then spreading to the upper then lower classes.[12] The industry was a jealously guarded secret for three millenia, until Japan got a hold of it.[13] India Silks are super common to see spun in India. As are cottons. Those are probably the two most common fibers depending on exactly where you are in India (it’s a big place!) with the north seeing a little more silk than the south, though the south would see silk in the cities and wealthier areas. Japan Most of the fabric in Japan was silk. Silk production was HUGE. Well, huge after the 4th century when Silk was available in Japan. Before that, silk was limited to China.[14] There are depictions of silk reeling being done in Japan, as silkworm rearing was done in most households. The “best” silk was still done by professionals, but most households had a steady supply after about 6th century. Kazakhstan The silk industry was thriving in Kazakhstan the middle 500 CE.[15] The silk industry was so important that when it was threatened by the Iranian silk, the king had all the Iranian silk burned[16] Loas The culture of Loas is known for a warp ikat,[17] so there’s plenty of weaving going on, I just don’t know how much hand spinning is being done, though the silk is supposedly hand spun as well.[18] Malaysian Most of what I can find on Malaysian textiles are on Songket and batik. They are cotton and silk fabrics woven with silver and gold threads and dyed beautifully. But I have no idea where those threads come from. Myanmar Pyu people of Myanmar were known to be peaceful to the extent of wearing cotton so as to not kill silkworms.[19] They still spin silk today. [20] Korea Silk made it to Korea in the 1200BC with Chinese settlers.[21] Korea was using silk to embroider things such as clothing and palace decorations that resembled spun silver in the Three Kingdoms era[22] Sri Lanka Silk is also found being processed in the homes of Sri Lankans.[23] Thailand The silk in Thailand has been dated to 1,000-300 BCE.[24] How did it get there? Not sure. It's very similar to Chinese silk. One theory is that they had their own silk worms to play with, but Northern Thailand definitely had silk in the first century BCE. Turkmenistan Turkmenistan was a bustling center of sericulture in the 4th through 7th centuries CE.[25] The agricultural people of Uzbekistan would also grow cotton and silkworms and spin on hand cranked wheels.[26] References [1] Molly Hutto, “A Single Thread, Part One: Textiles in the Near East,” Near East Relief Historical Society, April 6, 2018, https://neareastmuseum.com/2018/02/16/single-thread-part-one-textiles-near-east/. [2] B. Abbasov, “Azerbaijan National Sericulture Development Plan,” Azerbaijan national sericulture development plan :: The Black, Caspian Seas and Central Asia Silk Association (BACSA), accessed June 16, 2025, https://www.bacsa-silk.org/en/azerbaijan-national-sericulture-development-plan/ . [3] “Azerbaijan,” Azerbaijan | Silk Roads Programme, accessed June 16, 2025, https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/countries-alongside-silk-road-routes/azerbaijan. [4] Om Prakash , "Empire, Mughal Archived 18 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine ", History of World Trade Since 1450, edited by John J. McCusker , vol. 1, Macmillan Reference USA, 2006, pp. 237-240, World History in Context. Retrieved 3 August 2017 [5] “Thagzo: The Art of Weaving.” Ich Links. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [6] Ibid. [7] Siti Norkhalbi Haji Wahsalfelah, “Brunei Culture through Its Textile Weaving Tradition,” SUVANNABHUMI 8, no. 2 (December 2016): 113–29, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO201612359886243.pdf. [8] The Jakarta Post Dina Indrasafitri, “Glimmering ‘Songket’ Aims at Spotlight,” The Jakarta Post, accessed June 22, 2025, https://web.archive.org/web/20131217082836/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/05/19/glimmering-%E2%80%98songket%E2%80%99-aims-spotlight.html. [9] Wafi Rahim, “The Production of Kain Tenunan Brunei,” The Symposium on Cultural Identity, June 2015, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325987048_The_Production_of_Kain_Tenunan_Brunei. [10] Morimoto Kikuo, “Traces of War: The Revival of Silk Weaving in Cambodia,” Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings, 2002, 199–204. [11] Emily von Borsitel, Textile Arts Center, August 27, 2019, https://textileartscenter.com/feature/the-complex-art-of-cambodian-ikat/. [12] Tasdeeq Ul Islam, “The Historical Journey of Sericulture: Insights into Sustainability from Past to Present,” International Journal of Emerging Knowledge Studies 03, no. 09 (September 30, 2024): 719–26, https://doi.org/10.70333/ijeks-03-09-042. [13] Tasdeeq Ul Islam, “The Historical Journey of Sericulture: Insights into Sustainability from Past to Present,” International Journal of Emerging Knowledge Studies 03, no. 09 (September 30, 2024): 719–26, https://doi.org/10.70333/ijeks-03-09-042. [14] Patra, Rita. “History of Japanese Silk.” Patra, September 11, 2020. https://blog.patra.com/2020/09/11/history-of-japanese-silk/ . [15] Zh. B. Kundakbayeva, “The History of Kazakhstan from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Volume I. from the Earliest Period To,” dokumen.pub, 2016, https://dokumen.pub/the-history-of-kazakhstan-from-the-earliest-period-to-the-present-time-volume-i-from-the-earliest-period-to.html . [16] Ibid. [17] “Weaving of Laos,” Global InCH, accessed June 15, 2025, https://globalinch.org/craft/textiles-of-laos/. [18] Ibid. [19] Jeffrey Hays, “Pyu People and Civilization,” Facts and Details, 2008, https://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5a/entry-2996.html. [20] Annie Owen, Woman Spinning Silk Thread on a Spinning Wheel with Bicycle Wheel, Ko Than Hlaing Weaving, Inpawkhan, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia, January 2016, photograph, Robert Harding, January 2016, https://www.robertharding.com/preview/805-904/woman-spinning-silk-thread-spinning-wheel-bicycle-wheel/. [21] Tasdeeq Ul Islam, “The Historical Journey of Sericulture: Insights into Sustainability from Past to Present,” International Journal of Emerging Knowledge Studies 03, no. 09 (September 30, 2024): 719–26, https://doi.org/10.70333/ijeks-03-09-042. [22] “Korean Embroidery,” Wikipedia, March 5, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_embroidery. [23] Karin Hellaby, “Traditional Crafts of Sri Lanka,” Stitchtopia Craft Holidays, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.stitchtopia.co.uk/holiday/traditional-crafts-of-sri-lanka#:~:text=Handloom%20weaving%20is%20a%20centuries,create%20intricate%20patterns%20and%20designs. [24] Jackson, “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes,” My Thailand , May 20, 2019, https://www.mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ . [25] “History of Turkmenistan,” Wikipedia, June 15, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Turkmenistan . [26] Binafsha Nodir, “Historical Overview of Weaving in Uzbekistan ,” World Bulletin of Social Science 22 (May 24, 2023): 143–54. https://scholarexpress.net/index.php/wbss/article/view/2765/2373

Kyrgyzstan Spinning The nomads of Kyrgyzstan mostly spun with spindles. Even when the Kyrgyzstani people settled down so they were mostly living in cities, they continued to spin with spindles.[1] These spindles were top whorl. Which indicates that they may have been used for drop spinning, not supported spinning. Kyrgyzstan has raised cashmere goats for centuries, but only recently found an international market for the soft fiber[2] The article mentions rocks being formed to make spindles, then parts of power lines. This whorl looks like it could be from a power line…[3] References [1] Rahat Yusubalieva, “Grandmother’s Spindle (Kyrgyzstan),” cabinet, accessed June 23, 2025, https://www.cabinet.ox.ac.uk/grandmothers-spindle-kyrgyzstan. [2] “Pamir Fiber- Manufacturing ,” Pamir Fine Fibers, accessed June 24, 2025, https://www.pamirfinefibers.ch/herstellung?lang=en. [3] Rahat Yusubalieva, “Grandmother’s Spindle (Kyrgyzstan),” cabinet, accessed June 23, 2025, https://www.cabinet.ox.ac.uk/grandmothers-spindle-kyrgyzstan.