Because many of Islam's early leaders were of nomadic origin, textiles were basic to their material culture. Lightweight and unbreakable, they were easy to transport and universally in demand. Textiles were favored over objects of precious metals, which were identified with the more ostentatious Sassanian and Christian lifestyle by the ascetic teachings of early Islam (1). As religious practices moved away from purity and idealism, the utilitarian nature of cloth continued to contribute to its success as an art form. Textiles were used in both religious and secular spheres, and seen as basic commodity, fine art, and as a measure of status, identity and accumulated wealth (2). They were used as currency in trade, as tributes and as tax payments. The value of an ikat robes depended upon the fabric's complexity and beauty, which everyone understood, since the price of a fine robe could support a family for a year (3).

Although the Koran, the sacred text of Islam, prohibited the representation of living forms in art, this rule did not apply to textiles (4). Nevertheless, Central Asian weavers showed little interest in realistic figurative design. Their deeply rooted love of abstraction from nature and for geometric patterns dates back to the Bronze Age. The many historic cultures that passed through the region expanded Central Asia's design vocabulary. Among these were the Scythians, with their energetic stylization of fantastic creatures, and the Sassanians, with their tree of life and opposing figures within medallions. As time passed, the original meaning of these motifs was often lost and the designs abstracted beyond recognition. The overall tendency was to subordinate individual elements into a harmonious overall pattern conveying strength and energy through bold shapes and color contrasts. The artistic vision synthesized in Central Asia required no central focus, compositional nexus, or absolute direction (5). As a result, ikat panels were often misaligned or inverted, creating dynamic, unpredictable results.