IDNO

P.96745.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“F. W. became Political Officer in Sikkim on January 4th, 1933.
88. “Coolies at Chandebi 5.7.33”
See gi: Chandebi
88f. The man on the R is wearing a white woollen “ko” typical of the area and holding a “char-kheb” cape.” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

S Asia; Bhutan; Tongsa; Chandebi

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

5 July 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Place: This record was previsoly recorded as ‘ Asia; South Asia; Bhutan; Chandebi” which is from Williamsons spelling but the correct historic place name was Chendbji. The record has been ammended accordingly. [Dawa Dem 17/9/2008]

Context: The char kheb (rain capes) worn by the men and women in the picture is made from woolen cloth comes from central Bhutan, where it is known as yathra. Woven in twill weave on a horizontal frame loom and patterned with supplementary wefts, yathra served as as a blanket or seat cover. While this cloth is made of two joined panels, similar wool pieces of three panels served as rain cloaks. This is made from sheep's wool, but yak wool was also woven. [Dawa Dem 17/9/2008]

The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]