Hand woven Ceremonial Hinggi Sumba Songket Ikat Textile 55"x 13.75" created with symbolic animal motifs & geometrics. Tapestry is Hand spun Cotton, Dyed with Natural Pigments. Horse Motif Created with Hand sewn tiny Nassa Shells (SR39) rust red background

(seen on the right of the photos)

NATURAL PIGMENTS USED TO DYE COTTON IN WOODEN BOX SHOWN BELOW

 Each stunning one of a kind handspun Ceremonial Warp Ikat runner was woven by hand on a narrow back-strap loom in a labor-intensive process, and features motifs that are associated with royalty in East Sumba. Often animal and plant designs alternate with geometric motifs and cultural symbols derived from the Sumbanese animistic religion.

The ikats such as these often bear motifs of bold, bright designs of people, animals and animistic totems while those of the west are more abstract. Taking up to two years to produce, a full sized cloth is highly prized.

Each textile was created with a very ancient way of creating designs in fabric and with natural indigo dies -red, purple & blue.

The floating and supplementary warp techniques seen here create a rich tapestry-like effect. Handspun Sumbanese textiles can take up to 2 years to weave and can command the same value as a water buffalo. The intricacies of this piece and the variety of color show the skill of a veteran Sumbanese weaver. This is a wonderful art form and the Sumbanese pride themselves greatly for their intricate and meaningful designs inspired by the merapu ancestral spirits, nature and animals. The weaving and wearing of these colorful textiles used to be the privilege of the nobility. These textiles fulfill several functions in society. As family heirlooms, they play a prominent role in the ritual exchange of gifts (currency) and, most important, in funeral rites.

Other photos besides these 3 textiles seen here are of people wearing them.

All our textiles come with research and photos and we have others available as well.

We have Hand carved Textile Hanging Display Bars available which were created by hand especially for these decorative textiles in case you want to hang this precious collectible on the wall, which creates a rich and outstanding designer look.

All our collector and rare items come with pages and pages of research about provenance, and with history of the tribes and photos as well, depending on item and whenever possible. When shipping internationally, we group ship multiple purchases to save you money, and find the best rates. If you have any questions or want to see.