Ceremonial textile (geringsing)

A single village in Bali is one of the few places in the world that produces textiles in which both the warp and weft threads are tie-dyed before they are woven—a laborious process known as double ikat. The threads are strung on a frame, small sections bound tightly with fibers to prevent them from absorbing color when dipped in the dye. After an initial dyeing, the threads may be rebound to add another color; eventually the entire pattern is dyed into the threads. In this complicated and difficult technique, the dyeing must be precise in order to produce clear patterns. These highly prized textiles are used during ceremonial occasions and rites of passage, and are believed to be steeped in protective and magical powers.

Although it is hard to see at first, this textile is patterned with repeated scenes of seated people.