A very rare and finely woven old textile depicting a Ship with various anthropomorphic figures on their way to the after-life. Tampan were owned and used by virtually every Lampung family to consecrate ritual occasions and to assist each individual as he or she progressed through the diverse ceremonies that marked the various stages of life. Tampan were displayed or exchanged at both birth and death, at marriages, circumcisions, and ceremonies marking changes in social rank. They served as the focal point for ceremonial meals, as the seat for the elders who oversaw traditional law, and were tied to the ridge poles of newly built houses. They were a sacred force that bound society together.  

Possibly late19th century or early 20th century, Sumatra, Indonesia. 

Measures 18 x 18 inches. 

Provenance: Ex Collection of Daeng Iskandar collection, Indonesia.