<b>Object Type</b><br>This lavish textile is in the form of a sari, the draped garment worn by women in many parts of India. It was probably made specifically to be displayed at the Great Exhibition in London and was unlikely ever to be worn. The use of heavy gold-wrapped thread and silk is typical of the production of Varanasi (formerly Benares) which continues to the present day.<br><br><b>Materials & Making</b><br>The sari is woven using a combination of coloured silk and a yarn made of a silk thread around which a thin layer of drawn gold (zari) has been wrapped. The exceptionally lavish use of this gold-wrapped thread makes the sari very heavy, a feature that still applies to modern saris from Varanasi, even though today most of the gold used is synthetic.<br><br><b>Historical Associations</b><br>This splendid textile was almost certainly made specifically for London's Great Exhibition of 1851. This was the first of several international exhibitions in which the manufactures of India were brought to the attention of the European public, and they were widely admired both for their craftsmanship and designs. The Paris International Exhibition of 1867 was also particularly rich in Indian artefacts, many of which are now in the V&A collection.