African Textiles in Portuguese Churches during the Early Renaissance

This study examines the presence of African textiles in Portuguese churches from the late fifteenth century to the mid-sixteenth century, focusing on cotton and raffia cloths from West and West Central Africa. Although no examples survive, archival sources document their use as altar frontals, liturgical vestments and other ecclesiastical furnishings. This evidence suggests that, contrary to common arguments that such textiles were regarded as exotic curiosities, in fact these textiles were integrated into liturgical practice and valued alongside luxury fabrics imported from Europe and Asia. By foregrounding this archival evidence, the paper highlights the significance of African material culture in early modern Portugal and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Euro-African cross-cultural exchange.