Rare Man’s Ceremonial Blanket Amanatun - Ayotupus - West Timor, Second half of 20th century - Indonesia

Rare Man’s Ceremonial Blanket — Ayotupus, West Timor

This rare original man’s ceremonial blanket originates from Nasi village in the Ayotupus region of North Amanatun, West Timor. It is woven from handspun cotton on a traditional backstrap loom and constructed from three separately woven panels stitched together along their selvages.

The cloth is primarily decorated using the intricate buna technique, in which supplementary natural-coloured cotton yarns are inserted and manipulated over selected warp threads during weaving. The broad central panel and narrower patterned sections of the side panels display repeated stylised frog motifs against a deep indigo-blue ground.

The three panels are noticeably asymmetrical, differing in width, pattern placement and arrangement. These irregularities reflect their separate production and give the cloth its distinctive handmade character. Fine longitudinal stripes and hand-knotted fringes complete the composition.

Original handspun examples from Ayotupus are increasingly rare, although this distinctive historical design continues to be replicated in contemporary woven cloths.

Materials: Handspun cotton
Technique: Buna supplementary wrapping; backstrap-loom weaving
Construction: Three asymmetrical joined panels
Origin: Nasi village, Ayotupus, North Amanatun, West Timor, Indonesia
Period: Probably early to mid-20th century
Provenance: Private collection