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373 Moluccas, Kisar


Selendang (shawl)microscope



Period: 1920-1940.
Yarn: Hand-spun cotton, extremely fine, double-ply, natural indigo, chemical dyes for the red and yellow pinstripes. Undyed weft, of substantially greater gauge than the warp.
Technique: Warp ikat
Panels: 1
Size: 21.5 x 186.5 cm (0' 8" x 6' 1")   LW: 8.67
Weight: 70 g (2.5 oz), 175 g/m2 (0.57 oz/ft2)
Design: The design consists of multiple narrow ikated stripes, the widest measuring merely 10 mm. The motifs conform to the Kisarese repertoire - though that for tubeskirts, not for selendangs, shawls, worn by men. It is likely, therefore that the shawl was intended for use by a woman. Remarkable is the asymmetric patterning. The two widest ikated stripes, equidistant from the longitudinal axis, carry linked curlicues and lying s-shapes that do not mirrror each other, but face the same way. At the extremities, the weaver placed groups of six stars executed in buna, a technique for secondary decoration that is common on Timor, but was never before encountered on an ikat textiles from Kisar.
Comment: A very rare specimen. In forty years of collection no similar piece was ever encountered. The textiles is extremely light-weight: it has a specific weight of merely 175 g/m2 - circa 25 g/m2 lighter than the finest Sumba cloth. Gift from Bapak Kinga Lauren.
Background: Chapters on Moluccas and Kisar.
Sources: No known cognates.
  
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