Songket of Palembang

Palembang city has a long history, starting from the glory of the kingdom of Sriwijaya until Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. Sriwijaya kingdom in its heyday around the year 683 AD became the forerunner of the city lies on the banks of this river Musi. Many priceless relics from the famous kingdom, one of which is cultural Wastra (fabric) is beautiful songket.

Sparkling and glittering gold that glows in the woven fabric, giving it its own value. The circuit is composed of yarn and woven fabric through a symmetrical pattern making skills are made by people who understand the various ways to create quality fabrics, and that is able to decorate cloth with various designs.

History of Palembang Songket

Traditional songket is made by skilled people who understand the various ways to create quality fabrics, and that is able to decorate cloth with various designs. This ability is usually passed down from generation to generation. Therefore sewet songket is made with fine materials and high art is quite expensive. Usually worn at certain times during the celebration of marriage. Songket complete outfit worn by pengaten, usually with Aesan Gede (oversize) Aesan Pengganggon (Paksangko) Aesan. Mantri shawl Aesan Gandek (Gandik) and so on.

A sheet of Palembang songket, has many meanings, and have historical value. The fabric is probably the ancestral heritage woven by the owner for a year, perhaps as a dowry, perhaps as a traditional bridal fashion greatness, possibly as a family collection of precious objects, and many other possibilities.Palembang songket cloth, very interesting, traced its history, its meaning, and manufacturing techniques. If we take into consideration the distinctive color, and beautiful dressing motif, we must conclude that the songket is made with skill, patience, patience, and creativity is high.

Like the art of weaving other areas in our archipelago, Palembang songket is not known exactly when it started to work. For the purposes of clothing, first used as a base for the bark, then knit the leaves, and the latter planted to cotton yarn as raw material made ​​of woven fabric.

Palembang is located in the southern part of Sumatra island was once the center of Srivijaya empire that became the entrance to the various cultures of foreign countries. At first came the Portuguese, then the India of the last of the Chinese. In the seventh century until the eleventh century AD the kingdom of Srivijaya was glorious - glorious with the bustling harbor. Unless a trade center, Srivijaya also became the center of Buddhism. Srivijaya kingdom center, now the city of Palembang, a haven of Sri Lanka and India priest who will go to China. That is why Indian culture influenced the decorative motif of Palembang songket cloth.

Besides, the influence of China is also attached to the art of weaving Palembang primarily on the application of red and gold colors on songket cloth. Because of the cultural influences from outside the woven fabric was created from Sriwijaya a very beautiful and varied. Thus this songket fabric includes the results of local culture should be preserved.