Shouldercloth, Pasemah highlands, Bengkulu Province, Sumatra, 19th century

Shouldercloth, Pasemah highlands, Bengkulu Province, Sumatra, 19th century, weft ikat patterning and gold supplementary weft on cotton and other fibers, natural dyes.

At left is an early 19th century illustration of the landscape of the Pasemah region, as recalled by a British expedition to the interior. Wild. The culture and the landscape of the Pasemah highlands to this day are little known and seldom studied. The inset photograph from the 1930s shows Pasemah dancers; a poignant illustration of the archaic nature of the cultures of the Bengkulu interior.

Woman’s shoulder or hip cloth, Pasemah highlands, Bengkulu Province, Sumatra, mid-20th century or earlier, weft ikat patterning on cotton and other fibers, natural dyes.

Pasemah is a mysterious place, rarely visited by travellers, and not easily accessible. Many strange creatures, cultures and plants can be found there, including the Rafflesia arnoldii, a gargantuan flower that smells like rotting flesh. At left is a 1930s photograph of one about to bloom in the Pasemah highlands. The textile is almost as strange as the flower; the ikat patterns are simple, yet they resolve into complex coincidental patterns.

Admin : I believe this information caused have read and saw the picture from museum etnology netherland.

reference :

Textile Arts of the Indonesian Archipelago (Macan Tidur Tekstil)