6 - Conclusion

Summary

The extant sculptures have been divided into three chapters covering three periods. The first from the ninth to the early eleventh century, followed by the thirteenth century, and the last covering the fourteenth to the early fifteenth century. Within these three chapters, sub-groups have been developed that enable the categorization of the many different textile patterns into “style” groups. The data gained from the different pattern groups has enabled the subsequent research into the transmission of patterns from textiles to sculptures. With this additional factor of the textile patterns, the datings of the sculptures, where possible, have been amended from those provided by the existing literature. These patterns have then been used as a basis to propose examples that highlight the relationship between South and Southeast Asia through the interregional textile trade.

The four sculptures originating from Sumatra portray textile patterns that are contiguous with the classical period in Java and which reflect some of the Javanese designs, clearly indicating the close trading links between Java and Sumatra during this period. There is also clear evidence of the transmission of textile patterns from foreign textile sources to sculptures on both the small bronzes and large stone statues. The peak of the variety of textiles on stone sculptures appears to have been between 1269 and 1292 ce during the reign of King Kṛtanāgara, in the last phase of the Singhasāri period. During the Central and early East Java period, many more sculptures were produced with textile patterns—a crosssection of which have been discussed in this volume—but the variety of designs does not match in any way the variation seen in the Singhasāri period. Hiram Woodward has said that “a fabric recreated in stone may tell us more than would actual textile fragments or impressions, for it documents the local response to the imported object” (Woodward 1977, p. 233)—the distinctive artistic traditions can be seen, therefore, as proof of the textile tradition at the time.

I have maintained that the fabrics represented on the dress of most of the bronze, gold and stone sculptures from the classical period in Java appear to document local responses to the successive arrivals of textiles via trade, and to subsequently reflect the local interpretations of these imported items.