African textiles

Some of the oldest surviving African textiles were discovered at the archaeological site of Kissi in northern Burkina Faso.

They are made of wool or fine "short" animal hair including dried skin for integrity.

Cotton fibers from the kapok tree has been extensively used by the Dagomba to produce long strips of fibre to make the Ghanaian smock.

Other fiber materials included undyed wild silk used in Nigeria for embroidery and weaving, as well as barkcloth from fig trees used to make clothes for ceremonial occasions in Uganda, Cameroon, and the Congo.

From the Tuareg nomads of the Sahara to Cameroon, clothes dyed with indigo, the most common dye in West Africa, signified wealth and abundance.

For example, hemmed appliqué is a simple technique still used today where raphia cloth pieces are cut into designs and sewn onto the base fabric.

The Dogon, for example, believe that spinning[30] and weaving thread can be likened to human reproduction and the notion of rebirth.

For example, among the Ewe and Ashanti, black and white kente cloth is typically worn at funerals of elderly people to signify both a celebration of life and the mourning of death.

The tapestries tell stories of Roman and Arab invasions, and how the impact of Islam and Christianity affected African life.

"[33] Western African demand for cotton textiles fueled early South-South exchange during colonial times.