Search Results

My Story Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Cyprus Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Timor-Leste Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen

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.

Azerbaijani Spinning Spun wool dates to the 4th millennium BCE, and while dyed spun flax date to 34,000 BCE.[1] Sericulture (silk production) 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] An Azerbaijani woman spinning on a wheel.[4] References [1] 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 . [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] 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 .

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.

Laos Spinning When the Tai Kadai arrived in Laos, the people there, the Mon- Khmer, had a tradition of weaving cotton and hemp.[1] While it’s possible they imported spun cotton and hemp, it’s more likely they spun it themselves. Wheels made in Southern Laos often feature a naga or a river dragon head for protection. The wheels are “hand operated”[2] . The culture is known for a warp ikat, 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.[2] It’s Japanese? That’s so weird. I would have thought Indian, for sure…[3] Oh, it’s tilted too! I feel the need to try and feel the difference on my wheels References [1] “Textile Guide: Lao Weaves,” House of Wandering Silk, August 1, 2016, https://www.wanderingsilk.org/post/2016/08/01/textiles-360-lao-weaves. [2] “Weaving of Laos,” Global InCH, accessed June 15, 2025, https://globalinch.org/craft/textiles-of-laos/. [3] Tammachat, Using a Traditional Lao Spinning Wheel, September 24, 2009, photograph, Flickr, September 24, 2009, https://www.flickr.com/photos/9255099@N08/3950237653.

Japanese Spinning The kanji “紡 (ぼう)” (bou) originated from the act of spinning thread. (As a note, without the word “bou” in your search, google gives non helpful stuff for this, [like paper yarn spinning!] so make sure to use it.) 糸車 itoguruma (literally "thread vehicle") is spinning wheel and spindle is 紡錘 bousui, of course these are in modern Japanese, but they help immensely when searching for information. Japanese wheels look a lot like Indian standing charkhras. The wheels were typically a little larger, and were typically 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. Hand spinning- it was likely supported spinning, done in small dishes or small rocks on the floor. As wheels were pretty common, hand spinning was not likely done by many. While the Japanese spun cotton, it was not often, and was not much. Most of the fabric 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. 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. 2 women working with silk, one using a reeling wheel and the other using a spinning wheeel. A woman and her daughter working on a reeling wheel. The fire heats the water, the hot water losens the fibers on the silk worm cacoons. Yey silk! References Patra, Rita. “History of Japanese Silk.” Patra, September 11, 2020. https://blog.patra.com/2020/09/11/history-of-japanese-silk/ . Women Spinning Silk | etsy. Accessed June 14, 2025. https://www.etsy.com/market/spinning_silk. Hokusai, Katsushika. “Katsushika Hokusai: Woman Spinning Silk: Japan: Edo Period (1615–1868).” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1790. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45822.