{"product_id":"hausa-cowrie-shell-tapestry","title":"Vintage Hausa Cowrie Shell Tapestry","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 56\" length, 17\" width at bottom, 25.5\" width at top \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Leather hide, cowrie shells, natural raffia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEra:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1960s\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nigeria, Hausa artisans\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent condition for a hand-worked piece of this age. The spacing and tension of the raffia binding shift from row to row, and the hide carries the softening and tonal variation of six decades. These are characteristics of the technique rather than flaws.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCowrie shells traveled West African trade routes for centuries as currency before they were ever ornament, and a piece like this carries that history in its material. Hausa artisans in 1960s Nigeria stitched them onto leather hide with strands of natural raffia, building a surface meant to be read as much as touched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery shell was set by hand, following a tradition carried forward rather than a template. Six decades on, the surface still holds the rhythm of the hand that made it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA detailed video of this piece is available upon request. Please review our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sojournvintage.com\/pages\/store-policies\"\u003eStore Policies\u003c\/a\u003e before purchasing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sojourn Vintage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49493139062999,"sku":null,"price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/1344\/2263\/files\/SVSS2020-41.jpg?v=1785884797","url":"https:\/\/www.sojournvintage.com\/products\/hausa-cowrie-shell-tapestry","provider":"Sojourn Vintage","version":"1.0","type":"link"}