THE AINOS OF YEZO, JAPAN. 



463 



WEAVING. 



As already stated, the Ainos use the bark of the Ulmus montana, 

 which they call oJiiyo, sometimes also the bark of U. campestris, for the 

 manufacture of cloth. The fiber is not disintegrated, as for spinning, 

 but the bark is softened by soaking in water and working, when it is 

 easily separated into thin, wide ribbons, and these are readily split into 

 long, slender threads. These threads are tied together end to end, 

 without twisting, and wound into balls. Such threads are used for 

 both warp and woof. 



The loom is simple, but well made. Fig. 82 represents an Aiuo 



Fig. 82. 

 Aino Woman Weaving. 



woman engaged in making the ohiyo cloth. The weaver sits on the 

 floor, passing the rope at the lower end around the body, and stretches 

 the warp by leaning back against it. As the cloth is woven, it is roiled 

 on the stick in the well-known manner. 



Mats are woven in the same manner as in Japan. Plate civ repre- 

 sents an Aino woman making a mat. The long binding-threads are 

 weighted with stoues at the end and thrown over the beam, alternately 

 backward and forward, twisting the threads each time. Such mats, 

 varying greatly in size, are in universal use among the Ainos. They 

 are made of the rush known by the Japanese as suge, Scirpus maritimus. 

 They are usually woven with brown and black squares, arranged in 

 peculiar but regular patterns. The colored parts are made with dyed 

 bark, probably because the rush does not take color well. The bark of 

 Shinanolci (Tilia cordata) is usually employed for the colored portions, 

 but I have also specimens of the ohiyo bark from Abashiri, which have 



