Cleveland Museum of Art

Woman's Shawl or Head Covering

Date

1900–1925

Medium

Cotton, silk, indigo and other natural dyes

Culture

Africa, West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Hausa or Dyula-style, unknown makers

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A woman would have worn this embroidered textile on her head or her shoulders, with the motifs on her back. It was likely adorned by itinerant Hausa embroiderers, whose knowledge as Koranic scholars inflected their work with a symbolic and calligraphic style. The large, almond-shaped forms may represent lotus leaves or may have links to Islamic talismanic motifs or amulets ( hatumere). Only six examples of this rare textile are known.

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