Country Cloth

Country cloth is a thick, heavy, cloth, traditionally made from locally grown cotton that is spun into thread, dyed, and woven into strips on a tripod loom. The strips are then sewn together edge to edge to form the finished cloth. Such cloth was, in the past, regarded as a sign or wealth and Prestige. This example is composed of nine strips of plain weave, striped in brown, green, and yellow. It has been hand-hemmed. The British Museum catalogue notes this pattern is known as kulu nyei, and that the cloth was worn by women.

Further Information

• Type: Textiles, cloth
• Object: Country Cloth
• Materials: Textile
• Culture Group: Other
• Dimensions: 1640mm [L] x 1160mm [W]
• Production Date: Pre 1941
• Associated Places: Freetown
• Associated People: C. A. Burland
• Museum: British Museum
• Accession Number: BM:Af.1941.4.1

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