The historical and contemporary Naga textile collection in the Pitt Rivers

TheOxford Asian Textile Group (OATG)was founded in 1995 by Ruth Barnes, with the specific aim of making the Oxford textile collections better known to specialists and the interested public.Current Committee:Chair: Helen WolfeTreasurer: Sheila AllenMembership Secretary: David Richardson & Karen Firmin-CooperMeetings Secretary: Cecilia LloydProgramme Coordinators: Felicitas von Droste zu Hülshoff  & Federica GiganteJournal Editor:  Gavin StrachanBlogger: Sue RichardsonWebsite Manager: Marwa AhmedMembers at large: Julia Nicholson & Clare PollardVisitwww.oatg.org.ukfor more information.OATG Blog:https://oxfordasiantextilegroup.wordpress.com/Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/OxfordAsianTextileGroup/

Oxford Asian Textile Group

The Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford has the world’s largest collection of Naga cultural artefacts, consisting of about 6000 objects .

<p>Thursday,17 July 2025 at 6:30 pm BST​, online (Zoom)</p><h3>​</h3><h3>The historical and contemporary Naga textile collection in the Pitt Rivers Museum and its importance for the Naga communities</h3><h3><br></h3><h3>A talk by Dr Vibha Joshi​</h3><h3><br></h3><h4>The Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford has the world’s largest collection of Naga cultural artefacts, consisting of about 6000 objects and an equal number of photographs. The collection was made during the colonialera and dates from the late 19th to mid-20th century. Of these, approximately 700 are classified as textiles. There are also historic photographs of Naga men, women and children in ceremonial and everyday clothes which complement the collected objects.</h4><p><br></p><h4>The talk will examine the collection in the context of the socio-political and religious history of the region. In the current focus of the museum on decolonisation, and connecting with the communities whose material culture constitutes the museum’s collection, the talk will also discuss the engagement of Naga communities with the historical collections as well as with the recent acquisition of modern Naga cloths, such as the protest textiles.</h4><p><br></p><h4>Dr Vibha Joshi is a research affiliate of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Oxford. She has been engaged in research with Naga communities for more than three decades. She has written books and articles on various themes, including the textile heritage of the Naga, and co-curated the international exhibition NAGA: A Forgotten Mountain Region Rediscovered at the Museum of Cultures, Basel (2008-9).</h4><p><br></p><p>This event is free for OATG members. </p><p>Non-members are kindly asked to make a donation (£5 suggestion) via PapyPal <a href="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/OxfordAsianTextileGr" title="https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/OxfordAsianTextileGr" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/OxfordAsianTextileGr</a> to join online. Without donating you will not be able to join the event. Please do get in touch if you have any issues.</p><p><br></p><p>Image: Detail from Zeme Naga cloth</p>

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The historical and contemporary Naga textile collection in the Pitt Rivers

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The historical and contemporary Naga textile collection in the Pitt Rivers

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