Large African Tuareg woven straw leather carpet mat Old Niger Mali Sahara desert

Authentic old Straw mat / carpet decorated with leather strips that form traditional Tuareg geometric designs.Used as dividers / screens in the tent, to decorate the interior of the tent, for seating and praying etc.

The mat is in good condition with some damages, few small repairs and wear due to age and usage. Please see photos.

The length of the mat on the longest side is 47 1/2" ( 120 cm ) x 37" ( 94 cm ).

Tuareg use leather to form many kinds of African art !

Tuareg is a term used to identify numerous diverse groups of people who share a common language and a common history.

Tuareg camel caravans played the primary role in trans-Saharan trade until the mid-20th century when European trains and trucks took over.

Goods that once were brought north to the edge of the Sahara are now taken to the coast by train and then shipped to Europe and beyond.

Tuareg history begins in northern Africa where their presence was recorded by Herodotus.

Many groups have slowly moved southward over the last 2,000 years in response to pressures from the north and the promise of a more prosperous land in the south.

Today many Tuareg live in sedentary communities in the cities bordering the Sahara that once were the great centers of trade for western Africa.

Although most Tuareg now practice some degree of Islam, they are not considered Arabic.

TYPES OF ART : Much Tuareg art is in the form of jewelry, leather and metal saddle decorations, and finely crafted swords.

LOCATION : Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali.