Northern Laos, Laos

Title

Ceremonial skirt 'pha sin'

Other titles:

Textile for a pha sin (ceremonial skirt) decorated with alternating panels of indigo cotton, supplementary weft decorated silk and ikat silk

Place of origin

Northern Laos → Laos

Cultural origin

Tai Neua

Year

mid 19th century-early 20th century

Media category

Textile

Materials used

silk, cotton, natural dyes; weft ikat with supplementary weft weave

Dimensions

72.5 x 142.0cm (irreg.)

Credit

Gift of Nomadic Rug Traders 2003

Accession number

221.2003

Location

Not on display

Further information

This elaborate 'sin', or ceremonial skirtcloth, is one of the finest textiles worn by the Tai Nuea women of northern Laos. Typically these cloths are made of alternating bands of red silk with supplementary weft decoration, indigo-dyed cotton weft ikat and red-dyed silk weft ikat. The sections of indigo-dyed cotton refer to an archaic tradition where handspun cotton was used to best bring out the vibrant colour of the dye. This intricately woven and dyed cloth is decorated with the traditional 'naga', or 'nak' (snake/dragon), motif in both the indigo and silk ikat panels.

The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.307.

Bibliography (2)

Susan Scollay., Hali Mar 2004-Apr 2004, 'The Art of Half the World', pg. 110-111, Mar 2004-Apr 2004, 110 (colour illus.), 111. no.2

Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales 2003, 'Laos', Domain, 2003, 307 (colour illus.).