The similarity of the border designs in Figures 35 and 37 is most noticeable, but the cloth which forms the basis of the bag pictured in Figure 37, is of particular interest because the warp, instead of being cotton, appears to be the non-spun fibre of a plant, or a natural grass of a shiny texture having the qualities of flax. The weft in the bag under discussion is of unbleached cotton in that part covered by pattern, and a dyed cotton in the central portion, which has only a stripe decoration.
Silk and cotton are used indiscriminately in working the bags of this group, the patterns of which are more elaborate and much more finely worked than those of any other example in the collection. The colours employed are purple, emerald green, crimson, rose, orange yellow and occasional touches of blue.
GK 8 (Fig. 38). A very handsome bag, typical of the work of the Lana Kachins is shewn in Figure 38. (p. 47) Its construction resembles that of the Shan bag in Figure 29 rather than the Kachin bags just described, as it consists of two strips of cloth, each 13.5 cm. wide, one of which forms the sides and shoulder straps and the other the central portion. The native cloth of which the bag is made has a black ground with a narrow coloured stripe down the centre, which is plainly shewn in Figure 38 in the part of the shoulder strap that has been opened out, and is produced by the following arrangement of the warp, two red, two black, two white, four red, two black, two white, two red strands. The pocket is elaborately decorated with patterns woven in the brocade manner. At the top there is a border clearly indicated in Figure 38 and below the front the sides are covered with an interesting fret design in red, yellow and white. This design is based upon the zig-zag and has the frets arranged in groups of three (Fig. 38b). The cloth at the back is much more simply treated, a spot pattern in red, shewn in Figure 38c, being its only decoration.
The most striking features in the ornamentation of the bag are not, however, the woven pattern just described, but the lappets and tassels of scarlet flannel which form an added decoration to the front. The lappets are four in number, each made of an oblong of flannel, about 11.5 cm. by 4.5 cm., backed with a piece of cotton cloth to which it is attached by buttonhole stitching worked over the double edge (Fig. 38a). On the two outer lappets this stitching is in black, on the inner ones in red. In the centre of each the outline of an oblong has been embroidered in yellow cotton and small holes made in it over-stitched round with yellow silk in the same manner as an eyelet hole is worked at the present time. Between each lappet and at the sides are two long tassels made of very narrow strips of scarlet flannel, each finished off at the top by three little balls, of which the upper and lower are made of the flannel, and the central one either black or white cotton. Attached to the lower edge of the lappets are white seeds (Job's tears) six to each, and a second row of seeds is added to form a diamond pattern as shewn in Figure 38a. Between each pair of seeds there is again a little ball of either black cotton or scarlet flannel, the black balls being at the top and bottom of the diamonds, and the scarlet ones forming a line across the centre. At several points the thread which passes through the seeds is attached to the bag so the lappets do not hang entirely free.
Subordinate tassels of scarlet flannel depend from the lower point of each diamond. Rows of seeds placed as closely as possible form a noticeable ornament at each side of the bag at the bottom, where they and a binding strip of the flannel also provide additional strength at points where strength is essential. The opening of the bag is neatened by a binding of red flannel which is hemmed down and the final result is both a handsome and serviceable article.
Another bag of a similar type in the collection has tassels of scarlet flannel and strands of beads with more small tassels fastened here and there in the strands. It is interesting to note that an Ifygas woman's girdle in Bankfield Museum, from the Phillipine Islands, has fringes of warp ends with similarly added small tassels.
GK 5 (Fig. 39). The bag in Figure 39 (p. 48) is made from a piece of navy and red striped native cloth 24 cm. (9⅜in.) wide, and 56 cm. (22in.) long; joined up at the sides by being sewn to a strip of white braid, which also forms the shoulder strap, and is fringed out at the ends. The front of the bag has a series of brocade woven borders in black, green, red, orange, yellow, light blue and white, the colours having
