Songket altar cloth

Title
Songket altar cloth
Year/Period
Early 20th century
Region
Manado, Indonesia
Material
Dimension
Unknown Type: H: 102.4,
x W: 115.6 cm (without string)
Accession No.
2012-00650
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift in memory of Family Tan Tjien Sian, Manado.

This is one of a pair of purple and silver metallic thread altar cloth or 'tok wi' with a pair of dragons on the top, and a large dragon at the central panel of the cloth. The dragon in Chinese tradition is thought to symbolise the Emperor or the male.The fact that this is a pair suggests that it was likely used for the 'sam kai' altar, in which the altar cloth would be hung on the front and back of the altar.