Fragment of Mawa' or Ma'a (Sacred Heirloom Textile)

Textiles were the primary Indian goods traded for southeast Asian spices ultimately destined for European markets. This fragment is among the oldest extant Indian textiles found in southeast Asia. Made in Gujarat for the Indonesian market, it has been radiocarbon-dated to between 1382 and 1502. The pattern features a block-printed image arranged horizontally along the textile’s length, repeated without regard for vertical alignment in seven and a half rows. The repeat consists of a seated male figure with three attendant figures of lesser scale, the group is complemented by small geese and vegetal or perhaps architectural elements. The main figure may be a Jain sage, and indeed the three-quarter profile view and the so-called protruding eye do provide a link ...