Vintage & Collectable African Textiles

Vintage Adinkra Cloth

Adinkra ceremonial cloth in distinctive black on green colourway.

In Ashanti culture, large Adinkra cloths are worn worn toga-style for special occasions, particularly for funerals.

Adinkra artists use calabash stamps and wooden combs to apply traditional Adinkra symbols in geometrically arranged blocks and rows all over a large cotton cloth. There are over 50 Adinkra symbols, each with its own meaning.

The black pigment they use is derived from boiled tree bark.

Because the traditional stamping process is complex and time-consuming, contemporary makers now use pre-cut stencils to apply their designs. It's a lot quicker, but modern cloths look crude and cheap beside the real thing.

Handstamped using natural dye, from Ashanti region, Ghana. Cotton. 

Though this cloth is up to 25 years old, it is in excellent condtion.

OId Adinkra cloths in excellent condition are increasingly rare and expensive. Here's a great cloth at an affordable price.

Approximate size: 250 x 335 cm / 98 x 132 inches

This image shows a 100 x 250 cm section of the whole cloth.

Approximate size: 250 x 335 cm / 98 x 132 inches

Vintage Adinkra cloth - detail