Woman's Skirt
Unknown Artist
late 1800s–about 1906–12
Medium
Raffia palm fiber (Raphia ruffia or R. vinifera) and dye
Dimensions
73.7 × 102.9 cm
Classification
Garment
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Alma Kroeger Fund
Accession Number
2013.5
About this artwork
Mbuun men wove and embroidered wrap skirts like this for women to wear on special occasions. Gently color-shifted patterns (lubawa) along the central panels were achieved by “floating” wefts (selectively covering over vertical, or warp, threads with horizontal, or weft, threads). In contrast, various black-brown embroidered diamonds cover the borders. These are called lobubasa, motifs also seen on cicatrices (ornamental scars) that once beautified women’s bodies. Short tufts running horizontally...