Kuba Ceremonial Mat
Kuba People
DR Congo
Mid 20th century
Raffia, palm leaf stalk
81 x 49 inches

A Kuba mat from the Kasai region of the D.R.Congo These were used on the ground, period photos show the Kuba King seated on similar ones.
Raffia cord is wrapped around the thick part of a palm leaf stalk creating named abstract patterns of cosmological concepts. Similar patterns are woven onto the royal houses and other ceremonial buildings. This piece was collected in the early 1980s when high quality Kuba textiles became available.

$1,500