Kpokpo 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 is thought to be an example of kpokpoi, or kpokpo, cloth, relating to country cloth made up of strips of varying colours and patterns, used to make a larger, more complex, pattern. This example is composed if eight hand-woven strips in undyed, and indigo-dyed, weft cotton. Each end is bordered by a group of three blue weft bands, and in the central band there are warp blocks at regular intervals which are decorated with two natural coloured cotton diamonds in their centre.

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Further Information

• Type: Textiles, cloth
• Object: Kpokpo Cloth
• Materials: Textile
• Culture Group: Other
• Dimensions: 1520mm [L] x 975mm [W]
• Production Date: Pre 1877
• Associated Places: Unknown
• Associated People: Unknown
• Museum: British Museum
• Accession Number: BM:Af.WA.3

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