Island Threads: Special Exhibition on Ancient Austronesian Clothing and Adornment

Clothing replaced body hair in providing warmth, sun protection, and cover, and in shielding the body from scratches, punctures, cuts, and abrasion. From the earliest animal-hide garments, to tailored and sewn clothing, to garments made by beating plant fibers and spinning and weaving thread, human clothing has evolved with the times, the environment, and technology, and peoples in different regions have developed distinct garment-making traditions. Clothing also carries cultural and social symbolism: its styles, color combinations, and patterns each hold their own meanings and traditional spirit. Centered on the Austronesian peoples, this special exhibition traces ancient garment-making techniques such as bark cloth and weaving through to the modern era.