Ceremonial cloth

Title
Ceremonial cloth
Year/Period
19th century
Region
Lampung, South Sumatra
Dimension
Object size: L:76.5cm * W:69cm
Accession No.
1997-04367
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Ng

This ceremonial cloth or ‘tampan’ depicts a ship carrying ancestor or deity figures amidst highly stylised geometric patterns.Ships in Lampung textiles symbolise spiritual vessels that carry the community through transitions in life. Such ceremonial cloths could be used as gifts, covers for ritual offerings or pillows for the deceased. It is normally woven using the supplementary weft technique, where additional horizontal threads create patterns over the top of the ground weave.