Item-Number: | 850307 |
Item-Description: | Borneo (Kalimantan) Dayak warp ikat man’s skirt cloth (Kain Kebat) |
Medium: | Hand spun cotton, natural dyes |
Origin: | Borneo (Kalimantan) - Dayak |
Dimensions: | 117 x 54 cm |
Age: | Early 20th century |
Provenance: | Collected Kalimantan 1985 |
Condition: | Excellent |
Notes: | This cloth is a Dayak skirt (kain kebat) decorated with warp ikat patterning in dark brown, rust-red and ecru most probably from the Ibanic Ketungau tribe that occupies the river valleys of West Kalimantan . It carries a central band with complex patterning and three longitudinal border stripes on either side separated by stripes composed of dotted lines. The number three is sacred to all Ibanic people which is manifest in this cloth not only by the tripartite division of the border areas but also in the three fold horizontal division of the central field. The main motif in the centre field is Leku Nengali a coiled mythological snake turning around to look for prey. Cloth in very good condition for its age. |