This woven silk ‘pidan’ (temple hanging) features a group of motifs comprising a pair of interlocking ‘naga’ (mythical serpent) with a pair of lions on the left and confronting birds on the right. Woven cloths were highly valued as objects of beauty and wealth. They were presented as gifts to loyal officials and important visitors at the court. Pidan were also used as decoration in the bride’s home during a marriage. Ceremonial pidan were also donated to temples to cover the walls and ceilings where Buddha images were housed. Donations of pidan were been considered a form of merit-making.
