BÂBÜRLÜ DEVRİ KUMAŞ SANATINDA ÖNE ÇIKAN BİR TÜRK NAKIŞ TEKNİĞİ: ZERDÛZİ
AN EMBROIDERY TECHNIQUE IN MUGHAL PERIOD FABRIC ART: ZARDOZI

Summary/Abstract: Due to its geopolitical location, cultural interaction has been intense throughout history in India. In addition to this cultural interaction, India has had an important place in the field of textile as well as many other fields. India has been an important factor of balance in world trade since it is especially the homeland of cotton and has had a voice in textile production based on cotton. Although it falls behind in the income balance connected to world textile production, textiles and activities depending on textiles have always continued in India. Despite India has a textile history going back to 3000s B.C, the earliest Indian embroidered fabric pieces are dated to the 16th century. Zardozi, featuring among these embroidered fabrics, is a precious embroidery technique maintaining its impression not only in the period it emerged but also today. The word zardozi was composed of “zar/zer” meaning gold in Persian and “dozi” meaning embroidery. Although zardozi existed in India in earlier times, Mughal period was its golden age. Zardozi, which had a free work and free market until then, Zardozi, which had a free work and free market until then, it was state-mandated in Mughal period and became more systematic, controlled and more popular. The fact that clothes embroidered with zardozi technique became widespread among rulers, members of dynasty and other leading top officials and the use of it in state ceremonial practices intensely in both Mughals and the subdivisions ruled by nawabs was effective on this situation. Today, the fact that zardozi is preferred in daily stuff, it was sought after in fashion design and this art is continued as a handicraft and livelihood in many regions of India has prevented it to be lost and increased its historical value. This study introduced zardozi embroidery technique by presenting its historical development, production processes and today’s examples. After the literature review, zardozi workshops in Agra were visited, craftsmen were interviewed, practices were observed and information related to zardozi embroidery technique was gathered by the way of experiencing personally. This study aimed to introduce zardozi embroidery technique to the world of science and to lead the studies on this issue.

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