102 Isen-Isen Batik Lasem

This study hypothesizes that isen-isen motifs—complex filler patterns in Lasem batik—have essential cultural, symbolic, and historical value that is at risk of being lost, and therefore must be systematically documented to support the sustainability of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage. This study presents a dataset of 102 digitized isen-isen motifs collected from three batik workshops in Lasem District (Batik Pesona Canting, KUB Srikandi, and Pusaka Beruang) through field research, interviews with artisans and cultural observers, and photographic documentation. These motifs were digitized through cutting and vector tracing in Adobe Illustrator at a resolution of 300 px/cm and saved in JPEG format with a size of 400×400 px and RGB color profile. The motifs were classified into five thematic categories—flora (50 motifs), fauna (22), daily life in Lasem (34), Javanese-Chinese acculturation (5), and historical narratives (6)—indicating that over 70% of the motifs reflect natural elements, while the remainder encode daily experiences, intercultural history, and philosophical teachings. Rich symbolic meanings emerge, such as prosperity (Gunung Ringgit), resilience (Ungker), transformation (Kricak), and ecological harmony (Latoh). The database was verified through collaboration with anthropologists and textile curators and has two functions, including visual education, design resources, ethnographic analysis, and digital heritage preservation. Interpretation of motifs depends on oral history and local cultural knowledge, making the database valuable for pattern recognition, semantic annotation, and participatory digital archiving. This visual database bridges traditional wisdom with technological innovation, ensuring that these small yet profound visual elements are preserved for interdisciplinary research and future generations.