Kuba Shoowa Prestige Panel

Bold black zigzags on tan, ruled across the cloth as if with a straightedge.

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. Horizontal rows of sharp black and tan zigzags fill the whole cloth, with narrow pale lines between them. No other motif intrudes and the dark edge border is slim. The rhythm is entirely uniform. It measures 22 inches wide and 24 long.

One idea, repeated until it became a whole cloth.