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Itoguruma Wheel – Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea Japanese Japanese wheels look a lot like Indian standing charkhras. The wheels were typically larger, and were designed for floor use rather than table use. The other difference is that the Indian charkhras have string “tires” while Japanese wheels have wooden ones. I'm not sure how else to better describe that. The part the drive band goes over is what I'm calling the “tire”, And I'm sure there's a word for it that I don't know. I’m calling them the Itoguruma wheel because they seem to originate in Japan and that’s the Japanese word for them. Japanese women from the late 19th century spinning on a traditional Japanese wheel and reeling wheels. The design is a small souvenir painting of life in Japan.[1] Indonesia Indonesian spinning wheels are called ndatar or ndtaru.[2] The fancy ones would have one or sometimes two statues on them, usually representing Miala Ratu Nggela and Mamu Ratu Ngguku, the first human couple.[3] The ndatar have string wheels and are made to sit on the floor. They are very pretty. A princess’s spinning wheel from Indonesia. Used more for ceremonial clothing than for industrial type use.[4] Super interesting figures, I’m hoping to find more! Laos Wheels made in Southern Laos often feature a naga or a river dragon head for protection.[5] The wheels are “hand operated”[6] . It’s Japanese? That’s so weird. I would have thought Indian, for sure…[7] Oh, it’s tilted too! I feel the need to try and feel the difference on my wheels Nepal Wheels in Nepal 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.[8] Korea Wheels are called Mool Lae in Korean. Hand cranked wheels, designed to be used on the floor. Very similar to Japanese wheels. A mool lae. This one is missing a spindle and drive band, but looks like it could easily be fixed.[9] References [1] Women Spinning Silk | etsy, accessed June 14, 2025, https://www.etsy.com/market/spinning_silk. [2] 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. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. [5] “Weaving of Laos,” Global InCH, accessed June 15, 2025, https://globalinch.org/craft/textiles-of-laos/. [6] Ibid. [7] Tammachat, Using a Traditional Lao Spinning Wheel, September 24, 2009, photograph, Flickr, September 24, 2009, https://www.flickr.com/photos/9255099@N08/3950237653. [8] 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. [9] “Very Rare Korean Joseon Dynasty Wood Spinning Wheel ‘Mool Lae,’” eBay, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.ebay.com/itm/151740507461.

I know that some of us Really like working with one fiber or another. And some of the others of us are looking for an excuse to buy all the new kinds of fluff that we find. Fear not! This section is here to help. No matter what fiber, if there was a culture in Asia that used it in period, I want todocument it here! The Fibers Silk Cotton Wool Plant Fiber

Vietnam Spinning Wheels are hand cranked, designed to be on tables[1] . The only spindle type I’m finding evidence of is the Ahka spindle, which is a supported spindle. Very colorful, made from wood.[2] The Ahka spindle was used by the Ahka people, who live in the higher elevations of Vietnam. I love the decorated spindles, and this one is just beautiful and looks like it would be fun to play with, if on the heavy side (not that weight matters as much in supported spinning). Fibers that are spun in Vietnam are cotton, hemp, and silk. A girl from Vietnam spins on her wheel. Her wheel is canted as if it’s not normally on the table, but was put there for pictures. This is closer to the ones seen in India, but without looking at the “tires” or knowing if this is its normal place, it’s difficult to be sure.[3] References [1] Chronicle, “Vietnamese Girl Spinning Silk by Hand Stock Photo,” Alamy, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.alamy.com/vietnamese-girl-spinning-silk-by-hand-image66156631.html. [2] “Akha Style Spindle.” 2019. The Woolery. 2019. https://woolery.com/akha-style-spindle.html . [3] Chronicle, “Vietnamese Girl Spinning Silk by Hand Stock Photo,” Alamy, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.alamy.com/vietnamese-girl-spinning-silk-by-hand-image66156631.html.

Drop Spindle Spinning – Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Thailand, Uzbekistan Afghanistan Afghani cotton spinning is done on a drop spindle.[1] Wool is also spun on a drop spindle, and is usually done thick.[2] The woman in the middle is spinning! And it does look like drop spinning! So weird![3] One thing noted about her "spindle" is that it seems to be all whorl. I'm not sure how common this type of "spindle" is, but I really want to try it out! Bhutan In Bhutanese culture, drop spindles are called phang.[4] Wools are typically made from yak, sheep, and goat.[5] They are spun on both drop spindles and on wheels.[6] I love her spindle. I want to look at it closer![7] Cyprus Excavations have been done in Cyprus, and they have found that spindles were two-piece constructions, with stone or terracotta for the whorl and wood for the spindle.[8] Clay spindle whorl from Cyprus.[9] Kazakhstan Most of Kazakhstan was a nomadic society. Thus they would have used spindles to do their work. Also, they probably worked mostly with animal fibers. A spindle typical of one found in Kazakstan[10] Kyrgyzstan 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.[11] These spindles were top whorl. Which indicates that they may have been used for drop spinning, not supported spinning. 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…[12] Mongolia No evidence of wheels used in Mongolia in medieval times found, which makes a certain amount of sense given they were a nomadic culture and moving around with something as large as a wheel (even one that is typical of Asia at the time) could have been problematic From looking at pictures of historical reenactments, they appear to have used bottom whorl drop spindles. But these are reenactments. I’m not finding primary sources, or even secondary.[13] Hohhot reenactor spinning. I’m dubious, as that spindle looks more European than anything else I’ve seen doing this research, but I’m good at being wrong.[14] Nepal In Nepal, 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.[15] Thailand, Whorls for cotton thread have been found in excavation sites in Sukhothai.[16] But I’m not sure what these would have looked like. My guess would have been a takli, especially with all the other Indian influences they have had, but I wouldn’t consider the takli a two piece spindle. Uzbekistan Uzbekistan had a lot of nomads who would spin on drop spindles. References [1] “Spinning a Lucrative Yarn in Afghanistan,” ReliefWeb, October 3, 2012, https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/spinning-lucrative-yarn-afghanistan. [2] “Spinning Wheels in Afghanistan: A Livelihoods Case Study,” studylib.net, accessed June 16, 2025, https://studylib.net/doc/10771146/spinning-wheels-in-afghanistan--case-studies---livelihoods . [3] Lillias Hamilton, Views in Afghanistan, October 9, 2014, photograph, Wikimedia Commons, October 9, 2014, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Views_in_Afghanistan;_by_Lillias_Hamilton_Wellcome_L0025448.jpg. [4] Thagzo: The Art of Weaving.” Ich Links. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Dennis Kirkland, Asia, Bhutan, Bumthang. Woman Spinning Yarn, April 26, 2010, photograph, April 26, 2010. [8] Joanna S. Smith, “Changes in Weaving on the Warp-Weighted Loom on Cyprus,” Cahiers Du Centre d’Etudes Chypriotes, no. 49 (December 1, 2019): 129–44, https://doi.org/10.4000/cchyp.461. [9] Terracotta Spindle Whorls, Met Museum, accessed June 22, 2025, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/240498. [10] Linda LaBelle, “Kazakhstan,” Madderlane, August 29, 2019, https://madderlane.com/category/kazakhstan/. [11] Rahat Yusubalieva, “Grandmother’s Spindle (Kyrgyzstan),” cabinet, accessed June 23, 2025, https://www.cabinet.ox.ac.uk/grandmothers-spindle-kyrgyzstan. [12] Ibid. [13] Xinhua, “Hohhot, China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 15th Aug, 2018. an Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor Demonstrates the Spinning Skill of Mongolian Ethnic Group during an Exhibition in Hohhot, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Aug. 15, 2018. Credit: Liu Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News Stock Photo,” Alamy, August 14, 2018, https://www.alamy.com/hohhot-chinas-inner-mongolia-autonomous-region-15th-aug-2018-an-intangible-cultural-heritage-inheritor-demonstrates-the-spinning-skill-of-mongolian-ethnic-group-during-an-exhibition-in-hohhot-north-chinas-inner-mongolia-autonomous-region-aug-15-2018-credit-liu-leixinhuaalamy-live-news-image215507083.html. [14] Ibid. [15] Josefin Waltin, “Spinning in Nepal,” Josefin Waltin spinner, January 17, 2018, https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/spinning-in-nepal/. [16] 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/ .

Indonesian Spinning Indonesian spinning wheels are called ndatar or ndtaru. The fancy ones would have one or sometimes two statues on them, usually representing Miala Ratu Nggela and Mamu Ratu Ngguku, the first human couple. It was said that they 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.[1] The wheels are most like those found in Japan – they have the string tires and they are made to sit on the floor. Fancy ikat weaving dates to as early as 1000 BCE.[2] However, this weaving wasn’t industry sized, but more like hobby stuff done when they weren’t working in the fields.[3] A princess’s spinning wheel from Indonesia. Used more for ceremonial clothing than for industrial type use.[4] Super interesting figures, I’m hoping to find more! References [1] 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. [2] “Ikat,” Wikipedia, June 13, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikat. [3] Edu Lahar Pragowo, “How the Dutch Fought to Save Indonesia’s Textile Industry,” Java Private Tour, February 10, 2025, https://javaprivatetour.com/how-the-dutch-fought-to-save-indonesias-textile-industry#:~:text=By%20the%20early%2020th%20century,a%20golden%20opportunity%20for%20profit. [4] 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.

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

Kazakhstan Spinning The silk industry was thriving in the middle 500 CE. The silk industry was so important that when it was threatened by the Iranian silk, the king had all the Iranian silk burned. Kazakhstan does grow cotton, but has only done so recently. There is not much evidence of them importing unspun, unwoven cotton.[1] Most of Kazakhstan was a nomadic society. Thus they would have used spindles to do their work. Also, they probably worked mostly with animal fibers. A spindle typical of one found in Kazakstan[2] References [1] 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. [2] Linda LaBelle, “Kazakhstan,” Madderlane, August 29, 2019, https://madderlane.com/category/kazakhstan/.

Bangladeshi Spinning The Banglideshi are known for making cotton, specifically Dhaka cotton. 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. The process was so specialized and so intense that it took the entire region to make the fabric.[1] 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.[2] Bangladesh made more than 50% of textiles of the Indian subcontinent and around 40% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia .[3] Bengladeshi woman spinning. The caption says she’s spinning cotton, but that looks like silk on the reeling wheel…[4] A Bangladeshi woman spinning cotton[5] I love the way her spinning wheel looks. I think it looks like a flower. References [1] 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. [2] Gopika Nath, “Garland Magazine,” Garland Magazine Spinning a Yarn Unparalleled Comments, December 6, 2016, https://garlandmag.com/article/spinning-a-yarn-unparalleled/. [3] 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 [4] Neil Cooper, Woman from a Village Cooperative Hand-Spinning Fine Cotton. Bangladesh, 2004, photograph, Alamy, 2004, https://www.alamy.com/woman-from-a-village-cooperative-hand-spinning-fine-cotton-bangladesh-image3797294.html?imageid=32E73F8B-6F0A-4681-929D-3FFC55E0A5D7&p=15817&pn=1&searchId=ef3b690cb1375f88e6f0f894fda10372&searchtype=0. [5] Rudolph Ackermann, Bengali Woman Spinning Using a Simple Spinning Wheel, 1821, photograph, 1821.

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.

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Plant 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.

Maldives Spinning I'm finding nothing except this one set of photos on Facebook[1] These look like something that would come from the region. But beyond that I'm clueless![2] References [1] #DhivehiArchives A Lacquered Spinning Wheel Made of Wood, Acquired from Maldives in 1893  📷 the British Museum, December 13, 2021, photograph, Facebook , December 13, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4789751341085457. [2] #DhivehiArchives A Lacquered Spinning Wheel Made of Wood, Acquired from Maldives in 1893  📷 the British Museum, December 13, 2021, photograph, Facebook , December 13, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4789751341085457.