The tradition of leatherwork in Hausa society is long-standing and wide-ranging. Since the 1920s a sizeable industry has developed to produce goods for sale to visitors to the region, and this pair of panels are early examples of this genre. The technique used for this pair involves stripping areas of the surface to create contrasts between dyed and undyed leather. See David Heathcote, The arts of the Hausa, London, 1976, p.49.