Shoulder cloth

Title
Shoulder cloth
Year/Period
Late 19th century
Region
Tanjung Sungayang, Tanah Datar, West Sumatra
Technique
Dimension
Object size: L199.0 x W54.0 cm (With Fringe)
Accession No.
2000-05612

This ‘salendang’ or shoulder cloth is unusual because of its design. The light-coloured weft and wrap threads that run through the cloth are made of a special plant fibre known as ramin, which has not been used for at least a century. Cotton tassels end in multi-coloured silk ends.This textile is extremely rare and was a treasured heirloom piece. It is a type of selendang that was worn by the village chieftains of the region surrounding Tanjung Sungayang in Tanah Datar. In woven cloth, the warp is the set of lengthwise yarns attached to the loom and the weft is the yarn which is woven back and forth, across the warp, to create the woven fabric.