Antique Dayak Maloh Ceremonial Beaded Skirt With Figure.

Maloh Ceremonial Skirt (Women’s Attire)
Ethnic Group: Dayak Maloh (Molah), Borneo
Region: West Kalimantan, Borneo
Date: Estimated 19th century
Materials: Handwoven textile base, antique glass beads, shell elements
Dimensions: Height 57 cm × Width 47 cm
Weight: 1.124 kg
Provenance: Collected in the early 1980s from a private source
This rare ceremonial skirt originates from the Dayak Maloh (also known as Molah) people of Borneo, a community often regarded as culturally and historically aligned with the Iban, sharing closely related traditions, rituals, and textile aesthetics. The Maloh are particularly esteemed for their sophisticated use of beads and symbolic ornamentation, reflecting social hierarchy and ritual significance.
The skirt is constructed from a dark woven textile ground, bordered with red and yellow bands, and features a prominent central panel densely decorated with antique glass beads and shell elements. The beaded section displays repeating figurative motifs rendered in yellow, black, and blue beads, forming highly stylized anthropomorphic or spirit-associated figures. Such figurative patterns are exceptionally scarce and were traditionally restricted to aristocratic families or individuals of high social standing, including prominent ritual or community figures. The exclusivity of these motifs underscores their association with power, ancestry, and spiritual protection.
The symmetrical arrangement of motifs and the strong contrast between the beaded panel and the plain textile fields emphasize the ceremonial nature of the garment. The incorporation of shells further enhances its symbolic value, often associated with wealth, status, and ritual potency in Dayak material culture.
The skirt is in very good overall condition. Minor restoration to sections of the beadwork is evident, identifiable through slight inconsistencies in bead size and coloration; these restorations do not detract from the integrity or visual impact of the piece and are consistent with its age and ceremonial use.
As a 19th-century ceremonial garment, this skirt represents an important and increasingly rare example of Maloh aristocratic attire, illustrating the shared yet distinct textile traditions of the Maloh and Iban peoples and offering valuable insight into social stratification, ritual expression, and bead artistry in Bornean Dayak cultures.