Formal Court Waist Wrapper (Dodot Bangun Tulak Alas‑Alasan Pinarada Mas), ILE2006.4.374

Sewn together from two panels, this large waist wrapper has a white hexagonal center and a dark blue surround filled with plants and animals painted with gold leaf. There is a tie-dyed (tritik) border between the white center and the dark blue forest scene. The corners have depictions of Garuda, the bird that carries the Hindu god Vishnu. This design is called alas‑alasan, “resembling a forest.” The deep blue and white colors represent the opposites of land and water. This type of dodot is worn by court dancers at the annual ceremony commemorating the ruler’s ascendance to the throne. It is also used during the traditional Javanese part of a courtly wedding. The cloth comes from the court (kraton) of Surakarta (also known as Solo). —RB