Weaving Zulu sleeping mats

For hundreds of years, mats of various sizes have been used for eating, sitting and sleeping. Today it is mostly the large sleeping mat, the icansi, which is used for sleeping, sitting and ceremonial purposes. Beautifully embroidered mats are prized presents at gift exchanging ceremonies between the families of a bride and groom.

A mat of this quality would be slashed in half and dropped into the grave at a funeral.  This custom probably arose from disposing of the personal sleeping mat of the deceased.