Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Section 1: Background Information
1. Introduction
2. Fibres, threads and ground materials
3. Embroidery tools, techniques and makers
4. Uses, designs and designers
Section 2: Historical Embroideries
5. Archaeological and historical evidence for textiles and embroidery
6. Snapshot: Embroidered West African Gowns in the Museum Ulm, Germany
7. Snapshot: An early ‘velvet’ embroidery
Section 3: Embroideries from the Sahel
8. Introduction
9. Embroidered men’s trousers from the Sahel
10. Snapshot: Mandinka embroidered garments
11. Embroidery from Mali
12. Snapshot: Kanem-Bornu embroidered garments
13. Snapshot: The Tuaregs and embroidery
14. Snapshot: Wodaabe embroidery
15. Quilted armour from the Sahel
Section 4: Embroideries from West Africa
16. Introduction
17. Embroidered garments and caps from Senegal and The Gambia
18. Snapshot: Stitch resist-dyeing from Senegal
19. Snapshot: Two 19th century embroideries from Sierra Leone
20. Liberian embroidery and quilting
21. Embroidery from Burkina Faso
22. Embroidery from Ghana
23. Fante and Fon appliqué flags
24. Embroidery from Togo
25. Hausa embroidery techniques from northern and northwestern Nigeria
26. Embroideries from southern and central Nigeria
27. Nigerian embroidered headwear for men
28. The West African boubou and the north Nigerian babban riga
29. Snapshot: The Queen Amina embroiderers
30. Appliquéd and embroidered garments from Cameroon
Section 5: Embroideries from Central Africa
31. Introduction
32. Embroidery, appliqué and patchwork from Congo Kinshasa
33. Kuba cut-pile ‘velvet’ embroidery
Section 6: Embroideries from East and Northeast Africa
34. Introduction
35. Snapshot: Embroidered milaya from South Sudan
36. Embroidery from Eritrea
37. Embroidery from Ethiopia
38. Snapshot: Capt. Speedy’s ‘Ethiopian’ caps
39. Snapshot: Appliqué and embroidered bark cloth from Uganda
40. Snapshot: The Savane Kabuye embroidery workshop from Rwanda
41. Snapshot: East African-Omani embroidered caps
42. Snapshot: East and northeast African embroidered leather sandals
43. Snapshot: Some recent embroidery groups in East Africa
Section 7: Embroideries from Southern Africa
44. Introduction
45. Embroidery from Madagascar
46. Embroidered bark cloth from Zambia
47. Snapshot: The Rhodesian Tapestry: A history in needlework
48. Embroidery and South Africa
49. Snapshot: Embroidered Tsonga minceka
Appendix 1a: List of stitches with drawings
Appendix 1b: Alphabetical list of stitches
Bibliography
Index

Promotional Information

This authoritative reference work documents and illustrates the rich heritage of embroidery across Africa south of the Sahara from the early modern period to the present day.

About the Author

Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood is Director of the Textile Research Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Willem Vogelsang is former Deputy Director of the International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden, The Netherlands.