Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Diamonds nested inside diamonds, held in place by crossing tan bands.

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. Concentric black and tan diamonds, some with a bright center dot, are linked by crossing diagonal bands into a medium-scale lattice. Ground is warm tan with a dusty pink border. It measures 18 inches wide and 19.5 long.

A target practice of diamonds, and every one hit the middle.