Leather skirt from Tanzania
- Audio guide stop: 187
- Gallery: Room 25
- Made in: Tanzania
- Date: 1950-1990 (circa)
- Object type: skirt
- Materials: skin; plastic
- Museum number: Af1991,18.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a leather skirt from Tanzania, made by the Iraqw people. This striking piece is crafted from multiple panels of hide, stitched together and decorated with vibrant plastic beads in a range of colors. The skirt is divided into two main decorative sections, with bold white, orange, and black striped borders, all made using intricate beadwork. A pattern of interlocking lines and star-like shapes further enriches the design.
Made in the Mbulu area of the Arusha region, the skirt dates to between 1950 and 1990. It was purchased from Mrs. Fay Cran and once described as part of a wedding set. Notably, the hide has been patched in four places, suggesting long use or care. This work celebrates the beautiful traditions of beadwork in Tanzanian culture.
See it in person
Leather skirt from Tanzania is on display in Room 25 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 187, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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