Ithansi Ceremonial Mat Ndebele people, South Africa (probably Middleburg area) Circa 1940s-1950s 39 3/4 x 20 ins (101 x 51 cm) Natural fiber, glass beads, cotton stringing As its good state of preservation suggests, this ithansi mat, elaborated with a wide beaded border patterned with geometric designs of symbolic significance and a delicate openwork technique, was intended for ceremonial rather than daily use. That would include being used as a wedding gift or bridal seating mat or as a surface for divination objects in ritual practice. SOLD
