Kain Ulos Sibolang Rasta Marjungkit
Name/Title
Kain Ulos Sibolang Rasta MarjungkitEntry/Object ID
2025.2.1Description
This textile, originating from the Batak people of North Sumatra, is a single, long piece of densely woven cloth. Its striking design features a dark blue center panel adorned with crisp white elongated diamonds and triangles in ikat technique. The two side borders features a wide maroon stripe flanked by a mix of narrow stripes in blue, white, and maroon. Renny Manurung identified the piece as an ulos type called Sibolang Rasta Marjungkit. Rasta because it has a red border and marjungkit because of the supplementary-weft patterning. Th cloth uses commercially-spun yarns, resulting in thin and flexible fabric with a soft feel despite its tight weave. While the warps are multicolored, the wefts are blue throughout. The warp appears to be 2 Z-plied yarns, each is composed of 4 yarns, plied S, which themselves are individually Z-spun. Adding to its decoration are several supplementary weft bands in white and yellow yarns that run horizontally across the fabric. The end bands are adorned with star shapes patterns in yellow and red. Both ends of the cloth are meticulously finished: the warps are knotted into extra fringes, which are incorporated as wefts into a narrow blue and weft twining pattern band. These fringes extend an additional 18 cm beyond the twining band, completing this exquisite example of Batak weaving.Acquisition
Accession
2025.2Source or Donor
Mary ConnorsAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Gift of Mary ConnorsMade/Created
Artist
UnknownTime Period
Mid-20th CenturyEthnography
Cultural Region
District
MuaraRegency
North TapanuliProvince
North SumatraIsland
SumatraCountry
IndonesiaCulture/Tribe
Batak