Kuba Ceremonial Mat Kuba People, D.R. Congo Mid 20th century Raffia, palm leaf stalk 81 x 49 inches A Kuba mat from the Kasai region of the D.R. Congo These were used on the ground, period photos show the Kuba King seated on similar ones. Raffia cord is wrapped around the thick part of a palm leaf stalk creating named abstract patterns of cosmological concepts. Similar patterns are woven onto the royal houses and other ceremonial buildings. This piece was collected in the early 1980s when high quality Kuba textiles became available. $1500
