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This bagface is notable
for its elaborate border. The corner crescent moon, accompanied by a
star, is important in Islamic religious law and found its way onto
coinage as early as Sasanian Iran.1 The combined moon and
star motif appears on Mamluk carpets (16th century Egypt), and was
adopted as an official symbol by the Ottoman army and navy in the
early 19th century.2 It is uncommon in 19th century
Iranian weaving, but pops up in the most unexpected places.
This bagface was probably one of a pair, part of a set of transport
bags with a red wool weft-faced back and a short bridge. Sometimes
such bagfaces were the front side of single, “envelope”-type bags,
often woven in a weft-wrapping technique.
RET
1) Earliest date on such a coin is 695.
2) Lewis, B., et al, editors, The Encyclopedia of Islam,
London, 1966, pp 379-85 |
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Structural Data: |
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Size:
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2’ 1” x 2’ 10” (63 x 86
cm.)
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Warp:
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White cotton, handspun, Z3S
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Weft:
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Red wool, Z2 lightly spun; in some areas white cotton is added to
wool; two per row
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Pile:
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Asymmetrical, open right; 9h x 12v = 108kpsi
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Selvages: |
Missing (rewrapped with red wool) |
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Ends: |
Weft substitution weave 1,1,1,2,1,1,1,2
ratio, light red wool, Z2 lightly spun |
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Closure Panel: |
Countered sumakh, wool, Z2S; and white cotton, handspun S;
with two color (blue and red) Z2S wool interlacing on two sets of
paired warps on open edges
TOP AND BOTTOM OF CLOSURE PANEL: Countered twining, Z2S wool, (blue and
red) and a row of countered twining, Z2S, dark brown hair, followed
by vari-colored countered sumakh, and finally followed by six warp
complimentary weft weave of ivory hair, Z2S and dark brown hair,
Z2S. |
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Note: |
Cochineal used
throughout. |
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Copyright
©
2004,
New England Rug Society,
All Rights Reserved |
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