Cloth is Money: Textiles from the Sahel

Contemporary textiles from the Sahel region, including examples from Mali and Niger, reflect centuries-old weaving techniques, designs, and materials dating back to the 11th–15th centuries. The exhibition 'Cloth is Money: Textiles from the Sahel' at Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) highlighted this continuity by showcasing archaeological textile fragments from the Bandiagara escarpment in Mali alongside modern textiles. Curated by Jean Borgatti, the exhibit emphasized the enduring cultural significance of woven cloth in West Africa, tracing its origins to the trans-Saharan trade era that shaped medieval African empires like Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. The display also addressed provenance, acknowledging the historical journeys of these artifacts from their regions of origin to museum collections.

Snoap, M. (2022). Cloth is Money: Textiles from the Sahel. African Arts, 55(4), 82–83. https://doi.org/10.1162/afar_r_00684