Man's ceremonial loincloth

Title
Man's ceremonial loincloth
Year/Period
Early 20th century
Region
Belu, West Timor, Lesser Sunda Islands
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 252 x 111.1 cm
Accession No.
T-0680

This piece of handwoven cotton textile, a high ranking man's ceremonial loincloth, is known in the Belu language, as a 'tais mane'. It has a fine and intricately tied warp ikat patterning in the natural creamy white of the cotton with hightlights in blue. Such cloths were also prominent as gifts given on ceremonial occasions.