Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Hexagons stuffed with little crosses, striped like a honeycomb on a desk.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. The pile on a Shoowa cloth is cut raffia, sheared to an even nap that collectors often call Kasai velvet. Large hexagons outlined in cream and black enclose small X shapes in a regular all-over layout. A band of tight vertical stripes runs along the left edge. A pinkish tan border cloth frames the panel. The panel is 20.5 inches wide by 23.5 long.

Honeycomb cells with a cross in every one, very orderly.