Terms

A resist tie-dyeing process. Patterns are usually built up from small circles.

Many of the Indian cotton textiles traded to Indonesia were decorated by a technique in which mordants, the chemicals that fix the dyes, were applied to the surface of the cloth before dyeing. In this process, the application of chemically different liquid mordants – either with a series of carved wooden blocks or a slim…

Thin pieces of mirror glass, often lead-backed, or slivers of mica, are sewn onto a base fabric using a framework of stitches.

The distinctive look of an ikat cloth is achieved by tying and dyeing patterns onto the threads before they are placed onto the loom and woven.

Gold leaf is added to different types of fabric to create a luxury object for ceremonial occasions. The technique is widely known in Indonesia as prada (or pinarada), and sometimes as telepok. In this royal textile it is applied to a hand-drawn cotton batik. In other instances it embellishes plain fabric, tie-dyed and stitch-dyed silks,…

Sacred double ikat cotton textile woven only in Tenganan Pageringsingan, Bali. The geringsing is considered the most magical and powerful of all Balinese fabrics and is highly valued for ritual use. The geringsing is used by the nobility of Bali during important ceremonial rites, such as tooth-filing, for funerals and as part of the offerings…

The use of carved wooden blocks to apply mordants or resist substances, such as hot wax, to the surface of a woven cloth prior to dyeing.

A general term referring to the application of beads to a ground fabric for decorative purpose. The beads may be applied individually or as strips of beads, sewn or glued into place. Red, black and white beads are common in several regions of Indonesia, while prized shell beads and ancient glass beads were traded from…

The threading of small beads on to the weft yarn before they are woven with the warp yarns.

A textile with a twining technique, often with plain silk warp and two or three color colors of silk wefts. The result is very tightly woven cloth, used as a belt in the Surakarta court until the late 19th century (Jasper and Pirngadie 1912: 233).