Ceremonial cloth

In northeastern Laos, healing cloths like this one were used exclusively by shamans. These indigo textiles were used in a variety of rituals and worn in a number of ways; they served as head cloths, shoulder cloths, and belts; were draped over the heads of couples hoping for children; and were displayed on altars.

Many of the motif patterns woven in the supplementary silk at the ends of these cloths are very dense. Repeated in complex mirror images, these motifs are a challenge to decipher. White predominates, and green, yellow, and blue accent the patterns.

In the midst of a backdrop of angular hooks, zigzags, and triangles can be seen abstracted human and mythical animal forms, among them humans with raised arms, two-headed birds, composite dragon-snakes, and the si-ho, a composite creature with the head of an elephant and the body of a lion.