BATIK HISTORY
Batik history is extremely rich and varied. Each country and type of batik merits it’s own individual history, which you will find on other pages contained in this website. However, for the purposes of giving a broad introductory overview this page will distill the basic history of batik into a few concise paragraphs. Once you have read this, I encourage you to continue to explore the other About Batik pages by individual country to give yourself a deeper knowledge of the history of batik.
While the earliest roots of batik fabric are not exactly clear, some of the earliest pieces of batik fabric date from about 4000BC and are found on the bandages of mummies in Egypt. The bandages are decorated with spells, which were thought to assist the deceased with their journey into the afterlife. In addition to Egypt, other countries in Africa, including Nigeria and Senegal, have created their own batik traditions as well.
As mentioned before, origins of batik are murky, however, it is indisputable that batik reached its zenith in the country of Indonesia. It is believed that batik was introduced to Indonesia around the 6th or 7th century. The word batik is believed to derive from the Javanese word titik, meaning dot or point. Traditional Indonesian batik is called batik tulis and is created by essentially writing on the fabric with hot wax using a tjanting tool. This method, while it can produce beautiful intricate designs, is extremely labor intensive. As the popularity of batik began to grow in the early 20th century, the Indonesians designed copper stamps, called caps or tjaps, in order to speed up the process of applying the wax to the fabric.
In the 1960’s the popularity of batik began to wane due to industrialization. However, the tradition of batik has experienced something of a revival in the 21st century and batik fabric is becoming increasingly common. In fact, in 2009 UNESCO acknowledged batik with the designation of Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and insisted that Indonesia ensure that this piece of their heritage was protected.
Now that you have a basic knowledge of the origins of batik, go ahead and explore each individual country and their specific methods and history of batik. Happy learning!
As mentioned before, origins of batik are murky, however, it is indisputable that batik reached its zenith in the country of Indonesia. It is believed that batik was introduced to Indonesia around the 6th or 7th century. The word batik is believed to derive from the Javanese word titik, meaning dot or point. Traditional Indonesian batik is called batik tulis and is created by essentially writing on the fabric with hot wax using a tjanting tool. This method, while it can produce beautiful intricate designs, is extremely labor intensive. As the popularity of batik began to grow in the early 20th century, the Indonesians designed copper stamps, called caps or tjaps, in order to speed up the process of applying the wax to the fabric.
In the 1960’s the popularity of batik began to wane due to industrialization. However, the tradition of batik has experienced something of a revival in the 21st century and batik fabric is becoming increasingly common. In fact, in 2009 UNESCO acknowledged batik with the designation of Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity and insisted that Indonesia ensure that this piece of their heritage was protected.
Now that you have a basic knowledge of the origins of batik, go ahead and explore each individual country and their specific methods and history of batik. Happy learning!
