Flores ikat fringed vintage cloth

This cotton cloth, soft with age, is a very fine example of the unique ikat weavings from  Flores, one of the live volcanic islands of Indonesia. It has a dark masculine quality where the natural dyes of warm browns and dark brown are beautifully designed. Each line shows the great accuracy by the weaver to tie the small groups of warp threads to coincide magically with the weft threads. What a demanding technique. What length of time did it take with the weaver sitting on the ground, the loom tensioned by the wooden harness which she maintains by the angle of her back?

This piece was bought in Ende, the port on the south coast of Flores.  It would suit being a bed cover, a large shawl, a wall hanging or the perfect table cloth. Enjoy the fringes.

Please read the General Notes at the start of this Ikat Collection. It also deepens our understanding of the reason for the various recognisable patterns for each valley's culture if we look at a map of Flores. Each valley on the steep volcanic slopes has developed separately.