Collection: Adinkra Stamping Blocks
Adinkra symbols of the Akan people from Ghana, West Africa.
Adinkra stamps are carved by hand from either a gourd or chunks of calabash, which is often called Mpakiwa. These stamps are used to print Adinkra symbols and come in various shapes and sizes depending on which symbol you want to be printed. The sizes range anywhere from 2 to 3 inches, which equals 5 to 8 centimeters.
In making these stamps, several sticks of palm-leaf ribs are tied to the back of the gourd or calabash on one end with a strip of cloth to create the handle. Prior to carving the symbols on the outside of the gourd or calabash, the inside must be dried. When a gourd or calabash with a thick outer skin is being used, it must first be softened up. This is done by slathering it with shea butter over the course of a year.
Then the men who are carving the symbol into the stamp must first gently scrape the outer skin off with a sharpened knife. Once that’s done, they draw the symbol directly onto it using a pencil. The negative space in the drawing is then gouged out to create the stamp.
The ink used to print the symbol onto the fabric is called “Adinkra duro.” This is made from Badie tree bark that has been soaked in water to soften it up before boiling it in a pot with iron slag to create a thick paste for printing.
The Adinkra stamp is then dipped into the resulting Adinkra duro ink and pressed against the cloth in a rocking motion since the stamp is slightly rounded. After the symbol is transferred to the cloth it dries to a nice glossy black. This can be repeated if you’re interested in creating a pattern.
All our Adinkra stamps are handcrafted in Ntonso (Ashanti region, Ghana).
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Adinkra symbol stamp block Ghana African Ashanti cloth NKOTIMSEFO MPUA
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Adinkra Symbol Ghana Ashanti stamping block cloth ANANSE NTONTAN
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Adinkra symbol Ghana Ashanti stamping block Akan cloth textile BIRIBI WO SORO
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Adinkra symbol Stamping block Africa Ghana Ashanti Akan cloth textile EPA
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Adinkra Ashanti Ghana stamping block Akan cloth textile Art fabric symbol SUNSUM
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Adinkra Ashanti Ghana African stamping block Akan cloth fabric symbol MFRAMADAN
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Aya Adinkra Symbol stamp for Ceremonial African cloths Ghana
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African Adinkra symbol Stamping block Ghana Asante Ashanti cloth textile AKOMA
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African Adinkra Ashanti Ghana Authentic stamping block Akan cloth textile fabric
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Ghana African stamping block Adinkra symbol Asante Ashanti Akan cloth textile
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African Adinkra symbolism Stamping block Ghana Ashanti Akan cloth Textile fabric
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African Art Adinkra Ashanti Ghana Authentic stamp block cloth textile NKYINKYIN
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African Adinkra Ashanti Ghana stamping block Akan cloth textile fabric symbol
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Stamping block Adinkra Ghana African symbol Asante Ashanti Akan cloth textile
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Adinkra stamping block Ashanti Ghana Authentic Akan cloth textile fabric Art
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Adinkra Ghana Asante Ashanti stamping block Akan cloth Art fabric BONSU PANYIN
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African Adinkra symbol Stamping block Ghana Ashanti cloth textile ESE NE TEKREMA
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African Adinkra symbol Stamp block Ghana Ashanti Akan cloth textile MOON STARS
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Adinkra Ashanti West Africa Ghana stamp block Akan cloth fabric symbol SANKOFA
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Akoben Symbol Adinkra stamp block African Ghana Akan cloth textile
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Adinkra Ashanti Africa Ghana stamping block Akan cloth textile fabric symbol
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Adinkra symbol DONNO NTOASO African Stamp block Ghana Ashanti cloth textile
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Adinkra Ashanti Ghana stamping block cloth textile fabric
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African Adinkra symbol Stamping block Ghana Asante Ashanti Akan cloth textile
Regular price $16.96 USDRegular priceUnit price / per$19.95 USDSale price $16.96 USDSold out