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One of a kind, used, vintage Adinkra Stamp crafted from the rind of a gourd and used to make Adinkra cloth - traditional cloth in Ghana, Africa. You will get this piece...

Adinkra stamps are from the Asante people of Ghana and are stamps made of calabash (gourd) used to imprint cloth with a thick black dye. Each one is hand carved. Every design has a particular meaning. We try and indicate the meaning to those with which we are familiar, however there are hundreds of different designs. Now available is a useful book on Adinkra stamps called Cloth As Metaphor, which catalogues over 700 adinkra symbols and their variations; and also discusses various themes encoded in the texts of proverbs, aphorisms and other verbal expressions related to these symbols.

The average size of a stamp varies between 2.75" x 3", to a maximum of 3.5" x 3.5" Each stamp has a tripod handle on the back. For a detailed article on Adinkra stamps, click here.

You can also view several dozen common patterns, their names and meanings on our sister website, www.ZanzibarTribalArt.com: Adinkra Stamp Names & Meanings.

Please note these are all one-of-a-kind hand carved, used pieces. Minor damage including chips, cracks, ink and other damage is consistent with their use and age. Natural variations in the skin of the calabash or gourd may also be evident. Residue of the ink or dye may be present as may be salts (used to clean off the ink, turning into a white crust which does not distract from the piece). Such residue is highlighted by our camera and is not nearly as noticeable in reality.

Additional detailed photos & information available upon request.

Satisfaction and authenticity Guaranteed.