The complete piece may have been intended for use as a garment, clothing. Part of an embroidered fabric, possibly a garment, probably cut from a larger piece, and mounted on crimson silk fabric. The surface is covered with couched embroidery in flattened gold wire and gold-wrapped thread, and seed pearls, with added red and silver spangles. The design consists of five bands of flowers above a row of large buta, all surrounded by a band of scrolling flowers. Textile, possibly part of a waistband, silk with gold wire and gold-wrapped thread couching, Triplicane, ca. 1855-1879 [03/10/2015-10/01/2016] SILVER AND GOLD For lavish decoration, embroiderers use thin strips of silver or gilded silver (zari), sequins and metal foil, often with tiny pearls. Yarn made of silk thread wrapped with silver (or gilded silver) can be woven or used for embroidery. Metal strips interwoven with silk produce luxurious shiny fabric or ribbon (gota) which can be applied onto cloth. Silver weave Cotton warp and silver weft Murshidabad, West Bengal, about 1850 V&A: 0708 (IS) Golden weave Gilded silver warp and silk weft Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, about 1855 V&A: 0695 (IS) Panel with mankolam (paisley) pattern Silk, metal-wrapped thread, sequins, pearls, silver strips Triplicane, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 1855–79 V&A: 6502 (IS) Silver and gilded silver embellishments Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, and Ahmedabad, Gujarat, about 1855 V&A: 6293; 6345; 6346; 6354; 05954:1 to 3; 05939:1, 2 (IS) [03/10/2015-10/01/2016]