Embroidered Palembang Songket Sarong South Sumatra, Indonesia Mid 20th Century

Details

Description

This Palembang songket sarong from South Sumatra is a striking example of mid-20th century ceremonial weaving. Woven as a tubular … Read more This Palembang songket sarong from South Sumatra is a striking example of mid-20th century ceremonial weaving. Woven as a tubular textile, the cloth was constructed specifically to serve as a waist skirt, or sarong, designed to be stepped into and wrapped securely around the body. The seamless, continuous format confirms its original function as formal attire rather than a flat ceremonial cloth.

Executed on a rich crimson ground, the sarong is adorned with luminous gold supplementary weft threads intricately woven into structured horizontal bands. Repeating diamond lattices enclose stylised floral motifs, while serrated triangular borders create strong geometric rhythm across the composition. The disciplined symmetry and opulent gold detailing are hallmarks of the Palembang songket tradition, historically associated with courtly dress and important rites of passage.

The metallic thread catches the light with a soft shimmer, contrasting beautifully against the matte silk ground. Age-related patina and gentle tonal variation, consistent with a textile dating to the mid 20th century, lend warmth and depth to the overall palette of crimson, muted apricot, and antique gold.

Traditionally worn during weddings and ceremonial occasions, such sarongs symbolised prosperity, refinement, and social standing. Today, this tubular songket stands equally as a collectible textile artwork — its sculptural continuity and architectural banding making it visually compelling whether worn or displayed. See less