Hinggi
Unknown Artist
early 1900s
Medium
cotton, ikat dyed
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":2.394,"width":1.172}}
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Martha G. Thomas
Accession Number
1981.217
About this artwork
On the Indonesian island of Sumba, hinggi were one of two types of textiles that were worn for ritual ceremonies and used as exchange gifts required on occasions of birth, marriage, or death. Traditionally, their designs reflect the religious and social structure of Sumbanese culture. The abstract motif in the center of this mantle represents an open shellfish, symbolic of royal power. The crocodile, seen here in the red bands to either side of the central band, is also associated with royal pow...