Northeastern India, Naga "Body Cloth" and Necklace

20th century, the textile's field is decorated with white cowrie shells arranged to form a human figure amid 20 circles, interspersed are small red-dyed squares fashioned from dog hair, the whole is sewn by the edges to a larger fabric on a stretcher for display (39 x 60 in.; DOA 49.5 x 65 in.) (a few small stains and trivial areas of loss); included is a Naga necklace composed of beads and three large incisors (21 in. un-clasped).

39 x 60 in.; DOA 49.5 x 65 in.

Naga society traditionally revered head-hunting as a manly exercise. Shawls of this type were reserved for proven warriors, the cowrie circles representing trophies.

$200 - 400