MAT

Object/Artifact

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

MAT

Entry/Object ID

417/10540

Description

WOVEN/FRINGE/RED & YELLOW COLOR/BLACK DESIGN/YORUBA NATIVES/OBTAINED BY ELMA BAPTIST MISSIONARY

Collection

ETHNOGRAPHIC/AFRICA

Made/Created

Date made

1933

Place

Continent

Africa

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Country

Nigeria

Region

West Africa

Continent

Africa

Culture/Tribe

Yoruba

African

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Mat

Nomenclature Class

Floor Coverings

Nomenclature Category

Category 02: Furnishings

Dimensions

Width

7-3/4 in

Length

20 in

Dimension Notes

Fringe to fringe on length

Parts

Count

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Research Notes

Research Type

Researcher

Notes

Mats like these were often used as currency in Nigeria. Patterns and the quality of weaving gs gave different textiles different amounts, allowing traders to haggle "prices". The value inherent in these currency mats came from the effort and time it would have taken to create them - while traders were getting "money" in trades, what people were really paying for was for people's time and talent. Once traded, these mats served functional purposes.