Pha Yok, ceremonial waist cloth

19th and early 20th century

Not on view

This group of Siamese textiles are representative of the silk textiles worn by court officials and nobility in later 19th and early 20th century Bangkok. Such garments were worn when officiating at court related functions and state ceremonies. They conform to the strict sumptuary dress codes in force in Siam, and as such represent important classes of traditional textiles deployed in the Siamese court in the Rattanakosin era (1782–1932). Textiles, the finest of which were reputed to be woven in the homes of noble families expressly for use at court, formed a key component of court etiquette, serving as demarcators of the office and social rank of the wearer.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Title: Pha Yok, ceremonial waist cloth
Period: Rattanakosin period
Date: 19th and early 20th century
Culture: Central Thailand
Medium: Silk brocade centerfield and silk-and-gilt metal thread border
Dimensions: 32 1/4 in. × 8 ft. 11 1/2 in. (81.9 × 273.1 cm)
Classification: Textiles
Credit Line: Gift of Kathleen Haines Gotschlich, in memory of Emil Claus Gotschlich, 2026
Object Number: 2026.288.2
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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