Bambara Weaving Loom Heddle, Based

A wooden crown, and underneath it a veil of thread.

This weaving loom heddle was made and used by Bambara people of Mali, West Africa, in the 20th century, and is carved from wood. Heddles belong to the narrow strip looms used across the region, where the thread pattern depends on the sweep of the warp. The upper beam is shaped like a shallow arch, with grooves and a faintly incised pattern, and it carries two bound uprights. Long strands hang from it to a lower bar, with a tiny figure of an animal drawn in the strings. The wood is deep brown with a worn sheen.

About 12.5 inches tall, on a black stand. Weaving, turned into wall art.