Acheik (Burmese: အချိတ်; pronounced [ʔət͡ɕʰeɪʔ]), also known as luntaya acheik (လွန်းတစ်ရာအချိတ်; lit. 'hundred shuttle acheik'), is the name of an indigenous Burmese textile pattern. It is characterized by intricate wave-like motifs interwoven with bands of horizontal stripes, often embellished with arabesque designs.
The term luntaya (လွန်းတစ်ရာ; [lʊ́ɴtəjà]) literally means "a hundred shuttles," referring to the labor-intensive weaving process that requires 50 to 200 individual shuttles, each wound with a different color of silk. The weaving is so complex that it typically requires at least two weavers working together to manipulate the shuttles and achieve the interwoven wave-like patterns.
Acheik is most commonly used as a textile for the traditional Burmese garments: the paso (a man's sarong) and the htamein (a woman's sarong). Color palettes incorporate bold, contrasting shades within a similar color range to create a shimmering trompe-l'œil effect. Designs for men tend to feature simpler zig-zag, cable, and interlocking lappet motifs, while those for women weave undulating waves with floral or creeper embellishments.
Origins: Acheik weaving originates in Amarapura, near the Pahtodawgyi pagoda. The name may derive from the quarter where the weavers lived, Letcheik Row (လက်ချိတ်တန်း). Wave-like designs resembling acheik have been found on pottery dating back to the Pyu city-states (c. 400s–900s CE) and in temple wall paintings from the Bagan Kingdom era (c. 1000s–1200s CE). The textile became especially popular during the Konbaung dynasty, when sumptuary laws restricted its use to members of the royal court, officials, and their entourages.
Production centers: The towns of Amarapura and Wundwin remain major domestic centers of traditional acheik weaving, though cheaper factory-produced imitations from China and India have significantly disrupted Myanmar's traditional cottage industry in recent years.
