Title
Shoulder cloth
Year/Period
Late 19th-early 20th century
Region
Terengganu, Malay Peninsula
Dimension
Object size: L:171.5 x W:98.4
Accession No.
1997-04200
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Ng
A ‘selendang’ or shoulder cloth is a narrow piece of rectangular cloth worn over the shoulder. The centrefield displays floral motifs in diagonal lattices overlapped by leaf-like designs and was made using the weft ikat technique, where the horizontal threads are tied and dyed before the fabric is woven. The end panels are songket supplementary weft weave. They feature rows of elongated triangles known in Malay as ‘pucuk rebung’ or ‘bamboo shoots’. Such ornamentation was popularised by its usage on Indian trade cloths.
