HANDICRAFTS 223 



The only striking peculiarity of the loom is its 

 extreme simplicity. The upper ends of the web 

 are looped over a stout bar which is fixed to a pair 

 of uprights about a yard above the floor. The 

 lower ends of the web are looped over a stout rod, 

 to the ends of which a loop of cord is tied. The 

 woman sits on the ground (see PI. 121) with this 

 loop around her waist, and thus stretches the web 

 and maintains the necessary tension of it. The 

 manipulation of the shuttle and of the threads of 

 the web is accomplished without other mechanical 

 aids than the rods to which the one set of web- 

 threads is tied by short threads. 



