Shigra bag

Object/Artifact

-

BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library

Front of the bag

Front of the bag

Name/Title

Shigra bag

Entry/Object ID

2023.2.45

Description

Handwoven shigra bag with red, pink, orange, green, yellow, and black patterns. Colors are dyed to the fibers. Small hole at the center of the bottom.

Context

"Shigra" is the Indigenous word for a traditional looped bag made from Furcraea plant fiber, probably used in Ecuador since pre-Hispanic times. These types of bags are made with concentric buttonhole stitches using a large needle.

Collection

Dorothy "Ann" Helm Collection

Category

Bags

Acquisition

Accession

2023.2

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Country

Ecuador

Continent

South America

Lexicon

Getty AAT

Concept

pouches, bags (generic containers)

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Body

Height

26 cm

Width

30 cm

Dimension Description

Strap

Length

52 cm

Dimension Notes

Length measured from the top edge of the body to the knot

Dimension Description

Hole at the bottom

Diameter

0.7 cm

Materials

Material

Plant Fiber

Material Notes

There are many local terms for the specific fiber. The used fibers usually belongs to Furcraea or Agave genus.

Color

Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Black, Pink

Location

Box

Box 14

Room

Storage Unit

Research Notes

Notes

Miller, Laura M, Mrill Ingram, Ann Pollard Rowe, and Lynn A Meisch. “Leaf Fibers in Highland Ecuador.” Textile Museum journal 42-43 (2003): 56–75.