Jebel Marra is a volcanic field in Darfur, western Sudan. The Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program identifies the Deriba caldera as one of its defining features. Lava flows and other volcanic deposits give the mountains a layered geological history.
An astronaut photograph taken on 2 February 2020 offers a different scale of view. Its accompanying Earth Observatory account describes a massif with small volcanic cones, fields and towns. The higher ground has a cooler, wetter climate than the surrounding desert. This is a lived landscape as well as a geological one.
Our proposed Jebel Marra palette begins with that contrast: dark stone, earth and muted green, with a pale neutral. This is a contemporary design interpretation. It does not assign ceremonial meanings to colours or claim to reproduce the traditions of a particular community. The collection remains a design concept while materials and production are developed.