Unrecorded artist, Asante (Ashanti) Peoples

Notes

The gala wraps of the Ashanti, which are now commonly referred to as kente, are composed of strips that are separately woven and sewn together and were traditionally reserved for the exclusive use of the king or other high-ranking officials. To create them, weavers use a unique loom with two heddles that allows them to juxtapose warp-face patterns (the vertical stripes) and weft-face patterns (the horizontal, geometric designs) along the same strip. This technique requires significant preparation and skill.

Elaborate cloths, such as this one, were woven only on commission from members of the royal and chiefly elite. The warp design had to be drawn from the repertoire of designs approved by the Asante kings. Each design has a title that reflects either the region in which the design originated, the image that the design evokes (back of the tortoise, guinea-fowl feather), an aspect of Ashanti culture or a proverb: Money attracts blood relatives, News of good deeds does not travel far.