Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Dotted diamonds in black and cream, finer toward the bottom, with a pink border.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. Kuba cloth begins with the fibers of the raffia palm, and the embroidery that covers it is slow, patient work. Lozenges in black and cream, each stippled with four little dots, run diagonally across the cloth. The upper rows are larger and the lower ones finer. A pinkish brown border cloth surrounds all four sides. It measures 17 inches wide and 20 long.

Polka dots, but in diamonds, and with considerable discipline.