Mangbetu Sleeping Mat

This long mat with its attractive design is a rare survivor of a traditional Congo mat. Although sleeping mats can be found in museums, notably the Royal Museum for Central Africa outside Brussels, they are rarely seen on the market. This is due to their essentially ephemeral nature and utilitarian usage and the fact that in the past fibre pieces such as this were not collected or valued. To find a large example in pristine condition, such as this one, is quite unusual.