Embroidered Wool Shawls from India

India's gorgeous embroidered shawls are inspired in the art of ancient Persia. Wide expanses of wool and silk are covered with aari chain stitch, Gujarat's paako embroidery, the traditional mirror image motifs of Suf embroiderers, beadwork, mirrors applique and more. The most precious womens embroidered Indian wool shawls were the legendary jamawar shawls. These original textiles were embroidered by hand. So intricate was the hand embroidery that a person could finish only one shawl in his lifetime. Such shawls were not sold, but were given to kings and queens who, in turn, gave the artisan properties according to the worth of the shawl.