Mossi Woman's Wrap / Skirt Pillow

Deep blue cloth printed with white butterfly shapes and rows of small chevrons.

This woman's wrap and skirt pillow is Mossi, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is woven cotton, indigo & feather. The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, and weaving of cotton cloth in narrow strips has long been part of their craft traditions. Square cushion in dark indigo with resist-dyed white motifs in vertical columns. Small butterfly-like shapes appear in the lower half, with rows of tiny arrow marks above. A faint vertical seam runs down the center. It is 17 inches wide and 17 long.

A constellation of little moths, courtesy of string and patience.