In nineteenth-century Central Asia, robes were a kind of social currency. Social status was bestowed and confirmed through gifts of honor; and ikat robes were routinely given in recognition of services, as reward for achievement in battle or sport, as a form of payment, or as a bribe. The choice of textile sent a clear message to the receiver since both parties were sophisticated consumers who knew the value of each fabric.
			Woman's Robe, Silk ikat Third quarter of the 19th century The Guido Goldman Collection Photo by Don Tuttle, ( The American Foundation for Textile, Inc.)