PHILADELPHIA -Four ethnic clusters from two major American collections are the focus of "Textiles of the Burma Hills" at the University of Pennsylvania Arthur Ross Gallery, 220 S. 34th St., April 23-June 26. The selection of traditional textiles on view provides a window to the minority cultures of the hill tribes.  

For many years Myanmar, formerly Burma, was largely closed to foreigners.  Even now travel to the hills where many of the country ethnic minorities live, far from the central Irrawaddy River valley, is restricted by barriers of topography, infrastructure and politics.

As a result, traditional textiles, which serve as important cultural markers, have been little known to the outside world.  Traditionally, these intricate textiles have been made on a back-tension (back strap) loom with homegrown cotton, flax or hemp, often dyed with indigo or other locally produced natural dyes. They served as clothing and badges of identity and status.

Works featured are from the extensive collections of David and Barbara Fraser, Yardley, Pa., and Denison University in Granville, Ohio, which has the largest institutional collection of Burmese textiles in the United States.  

The exhibition will be highlighted by a lecture by David Fraser on May 1 at 2 p.m. in the Rainey Auditorium at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, followed by a guided tour of the exhibition.  The lecture is free for Museum members and $10 for non-members.  Additional information is available by calling 215-898-4890.

          The exhibition is made possible in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museums Commission.

The Arthur Ross Gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.  Exhibitions are free and open to the public.