Not currently on display at the V&A

Ceremonial Shoulder Cloth

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Patan (made)

This textile is woven in the double-ikat technique. This difficult and time-consuming process involves resist-dyeing both the warp and weft threads before weaving. The technique is a specialty of the town of Patan in Gujarat, where double-ikat silk textiles called patola are still made. This one is of a type made only for export to Indonesia, where the Gujarati patola were very highly prized, but other designs were used for patola saris for use in Gujarat itself.


Object details

Categories
Textiles
Clothing
SCRAN
Object type
Ceremonial shoulder cloth
Materials and techniques
Double ikat silk
Silk (Textile)
Ikat
Brief description
Ceremonial shoulder cloth (Selendang) of double ikat silk, probably made in Patan, 19th century
Physical description
Ceremonial shoulder cloth (Selendang) of double ikat silk with a repeating pattern of diamond shapes in red and brown. Triple border stripe at either side of the main field with two outer parts composed of rows of triangles (tumpal), the points face the central stripe which has two alternating motifs of leaves and cross-shapes. These stripes are worked in weft ikat. On the outer edge of these stripes and between them and the body are monochrome stripes. At each end of the cloth are further bands of ikat designs.
Dimensions
  • Length: 244cm
  • Width: 80cm
Production
Made in Gujarat for export to Indonesia
Summary
This textile is woven in the double-ikat technique. This difficult and time-consuming process involves resist-dyeing both the warp and weft threads before weaving. The technique is a specialty of the town of Patan in Gujarat, where double-ikat silk textiles called patola are still made. This one is of a type made only for export to Indonesia, where the Gujarati patola were very highly prized, but other designs were used for patola saris for use in Gujarat itself.
Bibliographic references
  • Indian ikat textiles / Rosemary Crill. London: V&A Publications, 1998 Number: 1851772421 pp.50-51, pl.39
  • Woven Cargoes. Indian Textiles in the East p. 12, cat. no. 7
  • The V&A Album, 5, London: 1986 Number: ISBN 1851770771 Swallow, Deborah, A Singular Substitute, pps. 156-164
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.149-1984

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Record createdJanuary 18, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O19981/ceremonial-shoulder-cloth-unknown/
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