Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Black and tan diamonds interlock like a very large, very serious game of dominoes.

This Shoowa prestige panel is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is piled raffia. Among the Kuba, raffia cloth long carried questions of rank, and panels like this were generally worn as skirts or given at ceremonies and funerals. Heavy black and tan diamonds and squares interlock in an all-over scheme, with small checkered diamond clusters at the right and left. The contrast is strong. A narrow tan border frames the edge. The panel is 20 inches wide by 20.75 long.

Black and tan, locked in place, with a couple of tiny surprises.