Mud cloth composed of eight long pieces of hand woven textile, stitched together along the long edges, and dyed black with light brown designs. The cloth is rectangular, with short fringe along both short edges. The overall design is composed of zigzags, lines, repeating T-shapes, and dots. There are four main panels down the length, each divided by a zigzag and dot design, with a panel of dots down one side pushing the main design off-centre.

• Cultural Context

  Bògòlanfini or bogolan ("mud cloth") has an important place in traditional culture and has more recently become a symbol of Malian cultural identity.

• Specific Techniques

  The traditionally handmade cotton cloth is soaked in a dye bath made from mashed and boiled leaves of the n’galma tree. Designs are then painted using river mud fermented for over a year, and remain on the dyed cloth following the chemical reaction between tannic acid and iron oxide.

• History Of Use

  Prior to Mali's independence from France in 1960, bògòlanfini or bogolan were usually worn by hunters, pregnant women, and anyone in danger of losing blood. Since then, mud cloth has started to be exported and is worn as a symbol of pride.

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• Type of Item cloth
• Culture Bamana
• Material cotton fibre, dye, mud dye
• Measurements height 154.5 cm, width 102.5 cm (overall)

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• Previous Owner John Jeremy Caddy
• Received from Nordelph Holdings Ltd.

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• Made in Mali

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• Ownership Date before August 19, 2019
• Acquisition Date on August 19, 2019

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• Item Classes textiles
• Condition fair
• Accession Number 3382/0001