Cotton and indigo dye, strip woven, weft faceexpand_more
Gift of Richard L. and Roberta G. Simmonsexpand_more 89.130.3
Archeological finds from the Tellem caves in Mali show that strip woven fabrics have been an important part of West African tradition for well over a thousand years. Indigo blue and white weft faced cotton blankets such as this appear to have been part of the aesthetic traditions since the 11th century and evidence indicates that until the successful efforts by colonial powers to subvert local cultivation, West Africa was one of the major world centers of cotton cultivation.
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know