This deeply patinated Senufo heddle pulley features an elongated, overhanging head with a large, prominent crest and grid-like panels of incised lines on either side. An intensely indrawn and meditative aura inheres in this small object.
Heddle pulleys are used in strip-weaving, a process that uses very small looms to produce long, narrow strips of cloth which are later sewn together to create a larger textile, such as a blanket. The advantage of this type of loom is that it is highly portable and easy to assemble. Heddles are always used in pairs. They are tied together by a string that runs through a pulley situated above the loom. The weaver's feet operate the heddles, alternately, during the weaving process. |
