Pidan (holl)

Among the rich array of Southeast Asian ikats, the traditional Cambodian silk weft ikat, woven in twill weave, stands out for its elaborate motifs, resplendence, and lustrous sheen. The pictorial design on temple hangings and cloth canopies, called pidan, created through a complex ikat weaving technique, is another feature of this textile.
This exquisite pidan with its beautifully executed design of lions, elephants, temples, Buddhas, and half-human, half-bird kinnara, once adorned a Buddha image. The superb artistry that went into creating the minutest details, such as the eyes, nose, and outline of the charming elephants, and the faces of the heavenly kinnara, make this hanging a superb example of Cambodian ikat.