Are you an off-duty time traveller gathering all types of clothing in medieval Africa for your next mission? 1. Do not worry: your secret is safe here 2. This article will have you covered, literally. 😉
The different types of clothing in medieval times can get any time traveller over-whelmed. Gathering the right type of clothing in medieval Africa is a real challenge – even for the seasoned time travellers – we would know.
What type of clothes do they wear in Africa? And what did ancient Africans wear? Look no further, this article is for you. The role of clothing in African culture varies widely, but one thing is for sure: Africans are people with style.
In this article you will learn some bits about African clothing history, particularly African medieval clothing from across the beautiful continent of Africa.
Note that in this article the medieval African period is anytime between antiquity and the arrival of colonialists. Approximately 500-1800 A.D. The continent of Africa is huge with a even grand diversity in civilizations. So, a term like medieval or middle age Africa can only go so far.
This post is all about types of clothing in medieval Africa.
Taarifa
Taarifa means information in Kiswahili, at the foot of each image is a section headed “Taarifa” containing pertinent information relating to the image.
15 Types Of Clothing In Medieval Africa Every Time Traveller Should Own
By replicating these works of medieval African fashion designers yourself, or by getting them from African fashion brands you are sure to be one stylish time traveller!
#1 African Medieval Clothing
An Ade, or beaded crown, like this one would be of great use to time travellers invited to a formal event of sorts. Worn the right way the Ade could win you some point in royal courts, however beware!, some people might not be too delighted to see you wearing it!
This crown was reserved for the highest of Yorùbá kings. When an Oba wore it, his elevated status was emphasized as “king over all”.
Nigeria houses a great variety of artistic cultures from the Yorùbá above, the Edo and the Benin Kingdom whose art can be found in: Medieval African Art History Objects.
Taarifa
Who: Yorùbá people
What: a Beaded Crown of Onijagbo Obasoro Alowolodu, Ògògà of Ikẹ́rẹ́
Country/Region of origin: Osun State, Nigeria, West Africa
Time Period: 19th century
Current location: The Brooklyn Museum, New York, United Stated, North America
7 Treasured Medieval and Ancient African Art History Objects Found *Across* The Continent of Africa
© Brooklyn Museum / CC-BY-3.0
#2 African Medieval Clothing
This Agbada, also Yorùbá clothing, can be a great addition to the Ade. Long ago this type of Agbada was worn by the Oba along with his crown. Though, simpler Agbada’s are common pieces of clothing, especially in West Africa.
West African medieval clothing varied tremendously. In the country of Nigeria alone there are more than 300 different ethnicities! One of them is the Igbo, whose pre-colonial way of life is told in detail in the masterpiece of African literature by Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart.
Taarifa
Who: Yorùbá people
What: an Agbada
Country/Region of origin: Okuku, Osun State, Nigeria, West Africa
Time Period: c. 1916 ‑ 1934
Current location: The Speed Art Museum, Kentucky, United States, North America
© Sailko / CC-BY-3.0
#3 African Medieval Clothing
This loincloth was fabricated by the Fon of the Dahomey Kingdom. It was taken by a French soldier during the Battle of Atchoukpa of the First Franco-Dahomean War of 1890.
The Dahomey Kingdom was populated by a powerful people who fought long and hard against French invaders to maintain control over their territory. So, in your travels an association with the Dahomey Kingdom may bring you good luck!
One reason for the great power and strength of the Fon Kingdom was its fearsome military called the Dahomey Amazons. The Dahomey Amazons was entirely composed thousands of women soldiers whose image you can see in Fifty-Four Pictures Of Traditional African Clothing (it’s the 39th one).
Taarifa
Who: Fon people
What: an Amazon King's Apron
Country/Region of origin: Dahomey, modern-day Benin, West Africa
Time Period: c. 17-19th century
Current location: The Muséum de Toulouse, France, Western Europe
© Didier Descouens / CC-BY-SA-4.0
#4 African Medieval Clothing
Who wants to get stranded in the Sahara desert without riding boots? Not you! If you are planing on riding either a horse or camel on your mission, these boots will be an indispensable addition to your medieval African clothing collection.
The Hausa people have long been known for their extraordinary artisanship, particularly their old-time practice of making leathers and riding boots.
Taarifa
Who: Hausa people
What: (Riding) Boots
Country/Region of origin: Kano (?), Nigeria, West Africa
Time Period: c. 19th-20th century
Current location: The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Canada, North America
© Didier Descouens / CC BY-NC-ND 2.5 Deed
#5 African Medieval Clothing
At some point in your time travels You. Will. Get. Cold. Who knows when you will be needed at the summit of the Mt. Kilimanjaro? Or in snowy Lesotho? Or in the freezing Sahara desert (no joke)?
Make sure you have a fur cloak at hand, like the one in the picture, and you will be as warm as a puff-puff 😀
King Sarili was ruler of the Xhosa nation in 19th century South Africa. Many regions of Africa like the east, north and southern regions experience much cold, especially in Africa’s mountainous regions.
Interested in Xhosa fashion? Scroll to the 3rd and 35th images of 11 Photos of Africa Historical Fashion Items & Trends then Fifty-Four Pictures Of Traditional African Clothing By Country!
Fur cloaks are important traditional clothing of South Africa. Some Southern African ethnic groups that traditionally wore fur cloaks: the Khoikhoi, the Zulu and the San, to name but a few.
Taarifa
Who: King Sarili of the Gcaleka Xhosa
Wearing: a leopard skin fur-cloak
When: 1890
Country/Region of origin: South Africa, Southern Africa
Current location: Cape Archives, Cape Town, South Africa, Southern Africa
#6 African Medieval Clothing (..or accessory)
A saber, and its sheath can be of great help to you. In medieval Africa there were ferocious lions, jaguars and elephants. You might need to defend yourself against them but keep in mind that you might just develop a love for agriculture and need to clear up some land!
This saber belonged to the West African Malinke people, who are today mainly spread across Mali, the Gambia and Guinea. Malian culture is one of the richest in the world as the region is known for its marvellous architecture.
Taarifa
Who: Malinke people
What: a Saber and its sheath
Country/Region of origin: West Africa
Current Location: The Muséum de Toulouse, France, Western Europe
Want to know more about Africa‘s history? … Yes? Yay! Read this for the Best Brief History of Africa, for People That Only Have 2 Minutes
https://hyento.com/history/history-of-africa-people/
© Didier Descouens / CC-BY-SA-4.0
#7 African Medieval Clothing
A tagelmust is a must if traveling in the windy and sandy regions of the continent like the Sahara desert, where the traditional African clothing name for it originates. But you might also be in Africa’s other deserts like the adjoining Namib and Kalahari deserts!
ULIJUA?
The Namib desert is the oldest desert in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!
21 Riveting Images EXPOSING the African Culture Aesthetic of Everyday Life
Taarifa
Who: a young Tuareg man
Wearing: a tagelmust and a boubou
When: the Festival au Desert
Where: near Timbuktu, Mali, West Africa
Country/Region of origin: West Africa
© Alfred Weidinger / CC-BY-2.0
#8 African Medieval Clothing
This bracelet once belonged to the Edo people, who laid the foundation for the grand Kingdom of Benin. It is made out of brass and gilt, on it is a pattern of leopard heads and ceremonial swords.
How wonderful would it be to own one of their pieces of art. The Benin Kingdom produced so much art especially sculptures that we have found today to be irreplicable.
Taarifa
Who: Edo people
What: a Brass Bracelet
Country/Region of origin: Court of Benin, Nigeria, West Africa
Time Period: 17th-19th century
Current Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, United States, North America
#9 African Medieval Clothing
Across the world there exists many variations of these types of clothing in French called cache-sexe, “to hide genital organs” in English. It has been what is the most common clothing in Africa and the world for millenniums!
This cache-sexe is particularly special because it dates back to the 12 century, this modesty skirt is nearly one thousand years old! The skirt has remained more or less intact despite being made of fiber because it had been found in a cave in the Bandiagara Escarpment of Mali.
Taarifa
Who: Tellem people
What: a Cache-Sexe, or modesty skirt
Country/Region of origin: Mali, West Africa
Time Period: 12th century
Current location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, United States, North America
#10 African Medieval Clothing
It is important to be aware of, during your time travels, of what is the most common clothing in Africa for both women and men. Out of all the types of clothing in medieval times wrapping fabric around one’s body seems to be the most effective and stylish way to dress in Africa.
For example, in Eastern Africa it is called the kanga or kitenge and in West Africa there are wrappers made of kente cloth and others called Aso oke, to name but a few.
Taarifa
Who: Nzukuzuku, possibly a Ngoni person
Wearing: red robes and bangles
When: c. 1895
Country/Region of origin: Livingstonia, Malawi, Southern Africa
Current location: The University of Edinburgh School of Divinity, United Kingdom, Northern Europe
#11 African Medieval Clothing
Take a look at all of these teeth, don’t they make a beautiful necklace? This necklace is adorned with jaguar teeth and originates from the region of Lualaba in the modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo.
When on your mission in medieval Africa, this necklace will be sure to upgrade your style and, maybe, have some people believe you are fierce enough to kill and skin a leopard.
Remember that in this present time leopards, and other animals, should not be killed for their teeth, defences etc. for your pleasure. We have wood and ceramics for that!
Taarifa
What: Leopard tooth necklace
Country/Region of origin: Lualaba region, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa
Current location: The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium, Western Europe
#12 African Medieval Clothing
¡Attention!: There may come a time when you are trapped in the past with no hair salon in sight for miles upon miles upon miles.
Friend, when this happens don’t freak out. Firstly breath, reach into you bag, grab your wig, and slap it on! We all experience spur-of-the-moment desires to change our look and you do not want that to happen while trapped in the past.
Be prepared, and all will be Good.
Taarifa
Who: Bapende people
What: a Wig
Country/Region of origin: Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa
Time Period: c. 20th century
Current location: The Musée des Confluences, France, Western Europe
© Ismoon / CC-BY-SA-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0
#13 African Medieval Clothing
This skirt once belonged to the Iraqw people of modern day Tanzania. Skirts like these were generally worn by women. It is made out of leather and adorned with plastic beads that are extremely common in East African traditional fashion.
Taarifa
Who: Iraqw people
What: a Leather Skirt
Country/Region of origin: Tanzania, East Africa
Time Period: c. 20th century
Current location: The British Museum, United Kingdom, Northern Europe
© Ji-Elle / CC-BY-SA-4.0
#14 African Medieval Clothing
Pictured above is a Kansawu and a pair of pants. They were originally part of a three-piece royal or noble costume of the Fon people mentioned earlier.
This Kansawu is made out of both cotton and silk and can prove to be very useful to you when expected at the high fashion events during the course of your time travels. Find all the pieces you need to complete the look of your outfit and voilà!
Taarifa
Who: Fon people
What: a Kansawu and Pants
Country/Region of origin: Abomey, Benin, West Africa
Time Period: 19th century
Current location: The Brooklyn Museum, New York, United Stated, North America
© Brooklyn Museum / CC-BY-3.0
#15 African Medieval Clothing ..or bag
Are you asking yourself: How will I carry this collection of so very wonderful African medieval clothing around during my travels?? Wonder no more, this bag saddled to any ridable animal will sustain you during your travels across time and space.
This article is meant to help you learn about types of clothing in medieval Africa. Unfortunately, this one does not provide information regarding transportation while time travelling (that for another article *wink*) but the Hausa people, rode (and some still do ride) on the back of trustee camels.
Taarifa
Who: Hausa, Tuareg
What: a camel Saddle Bag
Country/Region of origin: Agadez region, Niger, West Africa
Time Period: 20th century
Current location: The Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, France, Western Europe
By replicating these works of medieval African fashion designers yourself, or by getting them from African fashion brands you are sure to be one stylish time traveller!
Wishing you all the best in you time travels! Share Images of Your Time Travels Here or Post Them Online With The Hashtag: #timetravelafrica
© Marie-Lan Nguyen / CC-BY-4.0
10 Eye-Opening African History Truths & Facts *Must-Read*
https://hyento.com/history/african-history-truths/
This post was all about types of clothing in medieval Africa.
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