Sumba Blue Ikat Hinggi with Figural Motifs

This is a large Sumbanese hinggi, a traditional men's wrap cloth, executed in the warp-ikat technique with deep indigo dye on natural cotton. Measuring 260 cm tall and 112 cm wide, the textile is organized into horizontal registers featuring stylized human figures standing in pairs holding staffs, heraldic lions rendered in a pose derived from old European coin imagery, and mounted horses. The upper register displays bold geometric diamond and cross motifs, while narrower transitional bands carry smaller repeating figural patterns in blue on a white ground. The feathered, slightly blurred edges of all motifs are characteristic of the resist-dyeing process inherent to ikat. A dark hand-knotted fringe finishes the lower edge, and the overall condition shows even coloration consistent with a well-preserved mid-20th century piece.