Category: Africa

bogolanfini

Bogolanfini (bogolan- meaning cloth; fini- meaning mud) is a cotton cloth made from strips of woven fabric, which are decorated with symbolic patterns using the mud-resist technique, sewn together at the selvage to create a fabric that is utilized during the main four stages of a West African Bamana woman’s life: puberty, marriage, motherhood, and death.

backstrap loom

The backstrap loom is a lightweight, mobile loom made of wood and a strap that is wrapped around the back. It only needed to be attached to a tree or a post for stability and to provide tension.

eye of Horus

The eye of Horus, or Wedjat eye, is an ancient Egyptian symbol that represents the eye of the falcon-headed god Horus and symbolizes healing and regeneration and was often worn for protection.

faience

Faience is a man-made ceramic material that was often used in ancient Egypt to make jewelry and devotional objects. It is usually a blue color.

Akwete

Akwete is a decorative cloth with complex weave designs, creating intricate geometric patterns, made with many vibrant colors. It is usually made into wrappers for women to wear and it is made by the Igbo women of Nigeria.

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