This classed bibliography provides citations to all aspects of the hand-crafted textile traditions of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The work is divided into six component parts; The reference sources section includes bibliographies, glossaries of textile terms, and guides to museum holdings of textiles. The comprehensive studies section includes broad, general treatments of textiles, textile treatments in arts and crafts volumes, histories of textiles with special subsections for Mughal textiles as well as the various European East India companies, trade or commerce in textiles, and special subsections for the unique discoveries of early textiles by Sir Aurel Stein as well as at Fostat, Egypt. The textile types, techniques and materials section lists works under Applique, Brocades, Designs, Dyes and dyeing, Embroidery, Felts, Ikat, Lace, Painted/printed and related surface decorated techniques, Quilting, Spinning, Weaving and looms. Subdivisions within sectiond identify noted South Asian terms for techniques (e.g., Ajrak,Bandhani, Calico, Chikan, Chintz, Himroo, Jamdani, Kalamkari, Kantha, Lampas, Mushru, Phulkari, Rumals, Zardosi). The fiber section covers writings dealing with Bark cloth, Cotton, Nettle, Silk, Wire and tinsel, and, Wool. The people subdivions within Special Topics provides access to writings on individuals, ethnic groups, and groups (Child labourers, Designers, Dyers, Nomads, and Weavers). The clothing sub-section has special sub-divisions for writing on Kashmir shawls ans saris.
One of the most distinctive sections of the work is the special publication formats which identifies writings on textiles in the census of India and the 19th and 20th century gazetteers. The Museums, galleries, exhebitions sub-section identifies relevant textile publications eminating from institutions in South Asia, Asia, Europe, and North America. Although brief, the International exhibitions subdivision cites textile works in the publications deriving from the grand international exhibitions of the 19th century. A list of known dissertations relating to South Asian textiles concludes the work.
Indexes to personal authors , museums, geographic terms, and subjects allow immediate identification of relevant writings for those interested in a well-defines topic area.
