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''Acheik'' (; ) or ''luntaya acheik'' (လွန်းတစ်ရာအချိတ်; ), is the name of the indigenous Burmese textile pattern. It features intricate waves interwoven with bands of horizontal stripes, embellished with
arabesque
The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...
designs. ''Luntaya'' (; ), which literally means a "hundred shuttles," refers to the time-consuming, expensive, and complex process of weaving this pattern, which requires using 50 to 200 individual shuttles, each wound with a different color of silk. The weaving is labor-intensive, requiring at least two weavers to manipulate the shuttles to achieve the interwoven wave-like patterns.
![Acheik htamains](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Acheik_htamains.jpg)
''Acheik'' is most commonly used as a textile for male ''paso'' or female ''
htamein
A longyi (; ) is a sheet of cloth widely worn in Burma (Myanmar). It is approximately long and wide. The cloth is often sewn into a cylindrical shape. It is worn around the waist, running to the feet, and held in place by folding fabric over wi ...
.'' The color palettes used in ''acheik'' incorporate a bold array of contrasting shades in a similar color range to create a shimmering ''
trompe-l'œil
''Trompe-l'œil'' ( , ; ) is an artistic term for the highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface. ''Trompe l'oeil'', which is most often associated with painting, tricks the viewer into ...
'' effect.
Designs for men feature simpler zig-zag, cable and interlocking lappet motifs, while those for women interweave undulating waves with arabesque embellishments such as floral motifs or creepers.
Production
The towns of Amarapura and
Wundwin
Wundwin ( my, ဝမ်းတွင်းမြို့) is a town in the Mandalay Region of central Myanmar.
Wundwin, alongside Amarapura, is a major domestic center of traditional ''acheik'' weaving, although in recent years, cheaper factory- ...
remain major domestic centers of traditional ''acheik'' weaving, although in recent years, cheaper factory-produced imitations from
China and
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
have significantly disrupted Myanmar's traditional
cottage industry.
Origins
''Acheik'' weaving originates in
Amarapura, near the
Pahtodawgyi pagoda.
The name ''acheik'' may derive from the name of the quarter in which the weavers lived, ''Letcheik'' Row (လက်ချိတ်တန်း); the term itself was previously called ''waik'' (ဝိုက်), referring to the woven zig-zag pattern.
While some sources claim that the ''acheik'' pattern was introduced by Manipuri weavers during the late 1700s, there are no comparable Manipuri textiles that resemble ''acheik''.
The wave-like patterns may have in fact been inspired by Neolithic motifs and natural phenomena (i.e., waves, clouds, indigenous flora and fauna).
''Acheik''-type designs are found on pottery dating back to the
Pyu city states
, conventional_long_name = Pyu city-states
, common_name = Pyu City States
, era = Classical antiquity
, status = City
, event_start = Earliest Pyu presence in Upper Burma
, year_start = c. 2nd century BCE
, date_start =
, event_en ...
(400s-900s CE), as well as in temple wall paintings dating back to the
Bagan Kingdom
The Kingdom of Pagan ( my, ပုဂံခေတ်, , ; also known as the Pagan Dynasty and the Pagan Empire; also the Bagan Dynasty or Bagan Empire) was the first Burmese kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern-da ...
era (1000s-1200s CE).
Tributary gifts bestowed to the Burmese royal court may also have provided an additional source of inspiration.
The textile became popular during the
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung dynasty ( my, ကုန်းဘောင်ခေတ်, ), also known as Third Burmese Empire (တတိယမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်) and formerly known as the Alompra dynasty (အလောင်းဘ ...
, during which
sumptuary laws regulated who could wear ''acheik'' clothing.
The ''acheik'' pattern was exclusively worn by members of the royal court, officials, and their entourages.
See also
*
Burmese clothing
Clothing in Myanmar varies depending on the ethnicity, geography, climate and cultural traditions of the people of each region of Myanmar (Burma). The most widely recognized Burmese national costume is the '' longyi'', which is worn by both males ...
References
{{Textile arts
Burmese clothing
Ceremonial clothing
Burmese culture
Silk
Woven fabrics
Handicrafts
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...
Textile techniques