Tenun Geringsing
Geringsing is one of only three double ikat textiles in the world — produced exclusively in the Bali Aga (original Balinese) village of Tenganan Pegringsingan in Karangasem district. In double ikat, both warp AND weft threads are resist-dyed before weaving, and the cloth's pattern appears only when the pre-dyed threads align correctly during weaving — a feat of pre-planned precision with no margin for error. The other double ikat traditions are Patola from Gujarat (CRAFT-0091) and Pochampally from Andhra Pradesh (CRAFT-0076). Geringsing uses only three colors — undyed cream, deep red (from morinda citrifolia root), and black-blue (indigo over-dyed on red) — producing a palette of extraordinary complexity from simple components. A single Geringsing cloth takes 2–5 years to produce. It is considered sacred — worn only at specific Tenganan ceremonies and believed to protect against illness. The village of Tenganan produces it; no one outside the village has ever mastered the full technique.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Not inscribed; proposed
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