Mat Item Number: K2.345 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Rectangular woven grass mat with linear patterning in purple, red, natural and green; main portion of the mat covered with purple stripes flecked with red. Double-weave woven as a cloth with warp and weft.
For sleeping, sitting, and praying.
Weaving techniques and materials in Benin vary from region to region. Common materials are bulrushes and water hyacinths. After a plant is plucked, its leaves and roots are removed. The remaining stem is then dried for a month before being woven.