Man's cloth, late 19th century, 134 1/2 x 72 in. (341.63 x 182.88 cm), Silk; plain weave with discontinuous supplementary weft patterning and weft face patterning, Ghana, 19th century, Asante weavers produce luxurious, richly patterned silk garments that are generally worn only at formal or ceremonial gatherings such as weddings, funerals, or the enthronement of a chief. These cloths are popularly called 'Kente' cloth (from kenten, basket), a name given to them by 19th century traders that may refer to the basketweave effect of alternating stripe and pattern blocks. Within the Asante culture, however, a cloth such as this would be referred to as Nsaduaso, a cloth of high quality that a man of means might purchase. Asasia is the highest quality cloth but its use is restricted to the Asantehene and the royal family.