Atoni Cotton Tubular Skirt

Rows of zigzag diamonds in brick red and cream march down this cloth.

This tubular skirt of the Atoni peoples is Atoni, from Timor, Indonesia, and dates to the 20th century. It is cotton. The Atoni, also called the Dawan, are a large group living in West Timor, where weaving is traditionally done by women. Tall rectangular textile with horizontal bands of interlocking lozenge and zigzag patterns in rusty red on a pale ground. The weave looks dense but a little crumpled, with a soft faded tone and slightly uneven edges. It is 24 inches wide and 38 long.

Geometry done by hand, stitch by patient stitch.