Title
Hip cloth
Year/Period
1900–1940
Region
Savu, East Nusa Tenggara
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 166.0 x 54.0 cm
Accession No.
2018-00998
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. A.C.R. van der Mandele-Vermeer. Presented to the ACM by the City of Delft, Netherlands.
Savu textiles have a distinct colour scheme of white over indigo, with later designs including red bands and accents on the weft threads. Worn wrapped around the hips, hi’i (hipcloth) are traditional ceremonial attire for men. This textile is decorated with a combination of geometric and anthropomorphic patterns arranged in horizontal bands. Textiles worn by Savunese men reflect their social standing. As the fringes of this hipcloth appear plied and twisted, it suggests that its owner was likely to be a member of nobility, a war hero or priest.
