Indonesian Woven Panel Depicting Human with Scorpions

White-stitched figure with raised arms stands guard over lizards on black cloth.

This woven cotton panel depicting a human figure with scorpions is from Sumba, Indonesia, and dates to the 20th century. Sumbanese textiles often show animals and human figures, including horses, birds, crocodiles and ancestral forms, and the designs are generally tied to rank and community identity. Dark rectangular cloth with fringe at both ends, embroidered in white and red thread. A central human figure with a pointed headdress raises its hands, with birds above and long insect-like creatures to each side. It is 19.5 inches wide and 46.5 long.

The embroidered crowd looks busy, and very particular.