လွန်တိမ် (Luntein)
Mandalay luntein (လွန်တိမ် — 'lifted pattern') is the tapestry and brocade weaving tradition of Mandalay — producing the heavy ceremonial textiles used for Buddhist monastery decoration, royal audience hall hangings, and ceremonial occasions. The luntein tradition is distinct from luntaya acheik (CRAFT-0425) in its use of a single color weft for the ground and discontinuous supplementary weft for the pattern elements — each pattern element woven as a separate color area using a small butterfly bobbin, while the main ground weft continues across the full width. This tapestry-like structure allows complex multi-color pictorial designs (peacocks, ceremonial umbrellas, royal palace facades) to be woven without the mechanical complexity of 200 shuttles. The critical procedural knowledge is the interlocking technique at color boundaries — where supplementary weft from adjacent color areas must be interlocked to prevent holes forming at the boundary.
Risk level: Endangered · Myanmar national ICH list
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