These hand-loomed weavings, embellished with hand-stitched geometric embroidery, are created by the nomadic Tuareg people of North Africa’s Sahara Desert.
Woven with reed fiber, the traditional mats were designed to roll into a slender cylinder for portability.
The Tuareg are an ethnic group found in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. Although most Tuareg now practices some degree of Islam, they are not considered Arabic.
Tuareg mats are composed of dwarf palm tree fibers, handwoven with leather stripes in reddish-brown earth tone colors. These mats were traditionally used to cover floors and walls for warmth and protection. They are very important in nomadic life. Mats are used in tents as dividers, screens in tents, or just to decorate the interior, for seating as well as praying.
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