This is a ‘kain panjang’, an unsewn sarong, from Cirebon, one of the Pasisir or North Coastal cities of Java. Cirebon had a large Peranakan Chinese community whose influence is clearly evident in the mythical animal motifs derived from Chinese embroidery. Mythical animal motifs derived from Chinese embroidery, such as the phoenix and ‘qilin’, are readily apparent, while the ‘songket’-derived layout give the piece a uniquely Indonesian flavour. It is generally believed that batik first came to Java from India although the exact date for this is unclear. However, most experts accept that batik had more or less taken its modern form by the 17th century.
