Man’s shoulder or hip cloth (hinggi)
Not on view
This remarkable hinggi is in pristine condition and features intricately woven designs finely executed in five distinct colors. These cover the entire surface of the textile which is fringed by a multi-colored fringe at each end. The vivid designs are evenly balanced with the various bands organized symmetrically around a single band at the center, creating three principle sections, each bordered by a strip featuring animated creatures on four legs that are an amalgam of distinct species – snaggle-toothed dragons with uplifted tails and the horns of deers. These powerful mythological creatures are interspersed with blue snake-like creatures or serpents. Two broad bands at each end of the cloth feature dramatic and highly innovative designs each incorporating four lobsters with flat tails, long antenna and textured spiny backs separated from each other with alternating skull tree (andang) motifs.