Note from the editor:

« The traditional, handcrafted textiles of Africa are sumptuous, intricate, and steeped in cultural significance. Region by region, « African Textiles » covers, as not other volume has, the handmade textiles of West, North, East, Central and Southern Africa, outlining the range of weaving technique, and the different types of looms, materials, and dyes that create these sumptuous works. Nor does it neglects the cultural context of African textiles, assessing the various influences of religion, culture, trade, tradition, fashion, and the changing role of women that inform their creation. The breathtaking skill and creativity of the African peoples are presented here in radiant color – the gorgeous stripweaves of the Ashanti and the Ewe, the lace weaves of the Yoruba and the « bogolanfini » mud cloths from Mali and West Africa, the Berber weaves from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in North African; the unique, crocheted, embroidered, and feathered hats from Cameroon, the ancient weaving tradition of Ethiopia, the beadwork of the Zulu, Xhosa, and Ndebele peoples of Southern Africa, and the Asian-derived tradition of weaving silk and raphia in Madagascar. A guide to African textile collections open to the public, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading make this volume a practical as well as beautiful guide to the rich art of African textiles.  »