63
stands behind the Dalam, and of which numerous representations have been already published. The origin and purpose of this building still remain unexplained except by a legend, something like that of the hanging gardens of Nebuchadnezzar’s wife. It is said that a prince of Acheh, to gratify his highland consort who was homesick for the mountains of her native land, had this artificial hill erected and a pleasure ground laid out around it. The place where the building stands is in fact at the present time known to the Achehnese as Taman ("pleasure-ground"), whence we may perhaps conclude that it was formerly surrounded by some sort of garden. In the latter days preceding the occupation of Acheh by the Dutch, the building appears to have occasionally served as a place of recreation for the members of the royal household, especially the women, who used to sit on the topmost terrace to enjoy the view.
The ruins of the low vaulted gate at the back of the Dalam (Pintō Khōb[1]), through which in former times none but royalties might enter, give evidence of the same style of masonry that is observable in the royal tombs.
With the above exceptions the buildings of the Achehnese are, as we have seen, all of wood, and the only difference between the houses of great and small consists in their size, the character of the wood used, and the carving on the beams and walls.
Weaving.The art of silk-weaving continues to flourish as much as ever, and no little taste is displayed in many of the patterns worked in silk of various colours or shot with gold thread, for loin-cloths (ija ping-gang) and kerchiefs (ija sawaʾ) and materials for trousers (lueuë or silueuë).
The names given to the ijas and luenës at once recall to connoisseurs their colour, pattern etc. These names are partly borrowed from their appearance, as ija lunggi mirah, ija plang, ija plang rusa, sileuë plang tujōh lumpat, silueuë lutōng meukasab; partly from the place where the pattern was first introduced or is best designed, as for instance ija Lam Gugōb, Langkareuëng, Lam Bhuʾ; and partly from both combined, as ija lunggi Mukim Peuët, ya Lam Gugōb bungòng peuët.
The commonest pattern for the centre-piece of a garment is called awan ("clouds"), another bungòng tabu ("strewn flowers"), while the different figures in which the gold thread (kasab) is interwoven with
- ↑ When a salvo of seven guns had to be fired in the Dalam, four were let off at the great gate (Pintō Raya) and three near the back gate (Pintō Khōb).
