Hierarchical ranks in the Surakarta keraton

A. G. Maisey · 29th July 2018, 01:02 PM

Paul, what I have provided is correct colour coding within the Surakarta Karaton environment. There is no law that prevents anybody at all from creating and wearing any colours they wish, if those people are not members of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy.

These examples you are have provided are quite nice examples of sunggingan work, but they do not seem to my eye to be the style of sunggingan dress that I would expect to see worn by a member of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. The sunggingan work is reasonably well done, but the motifs are not executed in a way that would permit identification with a karaton rank, and these motifs seem somewhat confused.

The ladrangan might have a white base, or it might have a gold or yellow base, in the photo it appears that the two colours alternate, I have not seen this style of confused colour coding, and I am not at all sure that such a thing is legitimate.

29th July 2018, 01:02 PM	#14
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Paul, what I have provided is correct colour coding within the Surakarta Karaton environment. There is no law that prevents anybody at all from creating and wearing any colours they wish, if those people are not members of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. These examples you are have provided are quite nice examples of sunggingan work, but they do not seem to my eye to be the style of sunggingan dress that I would expect to see worn by a member of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. The sunggingan work is reasonably well done, but the motifs are not executed in a way that would permit identification with a karaton rank, and these motifs seem somewhat confused. The ladrangan might have a white base, or it might have a gold or yellow base, in the photo it appears that the two colours alternate, I have not seen this style of confused colour coding, and I am not at all sure that such a thing is legitimate.