Abstract
One difficulty in the use of African designs for mathematics instruction is our lack of knowledge of the artisans’ concepts and techniques. In many cases, that knowledge has been lost because of modern disruptions of traditional societies. Although the Mangbetu also suffered such losses—their modern descendants no longer create many of the patterns we discuss— their preoccupation with a geometric approach to design was so strong that some of its basic elements can be discerned in artifacts that have survived. This article introduces a few examples of Mangbetu designs and examines their underlying structure. We hope that teachers and students will join us in discovering the geometric basis for these beautiful patterns.
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