Title
Ceremonial cloth
Year/Period
19th century
Region
Lampung, South Sumatra
Dimension
Object size: L:73.8cm * W:70.2cm
Accession No.
1997-04382
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Ng
This ceremonial cloth or ‘tampan’ depicts a ship carrying an ancestor or deity figure in what could be ancestor shrines in mirror image. Other ancestor or deity figures on this ceremonial cloth are found at the corners, in a house-like structure, which might also represent an ancestor shrine. Ship imagery in Lampung textiles symbolises a spiritual vessel that carries 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.
