Prayer Carpet
19th century (made)
| Place of origin |
Single niche carpet
WARP: white wool; Z2S; 17 threads per inch (67 per dm).
WEFT: brown wool; Z spun, unplied, 2 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11 knots per inch (42 per dm).
PILE: wool; 7 colours: dark red, red, light red, dark blue, dark brown, light brown, white; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 94 knots per sq. inch (1407 per sq. dm).
SIDE FINISH: both sides missing
END FINISH: lower has 2.5 cms. plain weave in bands of dark brown, dark red, dark blue and dark brown wool weft. Upper is incomplete with 1.5 cms. plain weave in dark brown weft.
DESIGN: field: has light brown ground with a right-angled niche with chontains two rectangular motifs: the upper one is divided into siz blocks each containing the same linear motif; the lower is a four-horned rectangle containing concentric diamonds. The field, which is scattered with small animals, stylised flowers and geometric motifs, has five vertical, angular floral stems composed of diagonal blocks of colour. On a dark blue line along the main sides and bottom lie paired hooked triangles.
Borders: there are seven borders. From the inside:
1) dark brown ground with dark red squares.
2) and 6) light brown ground with stepped diamonds in dark red.
3) and 5) diagonal blocks in dark red, dark blue and dark brown, separated by white spots.
4) reciprocal trefoil in dark blue and dark red.
7) alternating red and dark brown blocks.
NB: at upper left and upper right, border 6) expands towards the nich forming two rectangles, each holding a floral stem smaller but similar to those in the field.
Catalogue date. 7.3.95
WARP: white wool; Z2S; 17 threads per inch (67 per dm).
WEFT: brown wool; Z spun, unplied, 2 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11 knots per inch (42 per dm).
PILE: wool; 7 colours: dark red, red, light red, dark blue, dark brown, light brown, white; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 94 knots per sq. inch (1407 per sq. dm).
SIDE FINISH: both sides missing
END FINISH: lower has 2.5 cms. plain weave in bands of dark brown, dark red, dark blue and dark brown wool weft. Upper is incomplete with 1.5 cms. plain weave in dark brown weft.
DESIGN: field: has light brown ground with a right-angled niche with chontains two rectangular motifs: the upper one is divided into siz blocks each containing the same linear motif; the lower is a four-horned rectangle containing concentric diamonds. The field, which is scattered with small animals, stylised flowers and geometric motifs, has five vertical, angular floral stems composed of diagonal blocks of colour. On a dark blue line along the main sides and bottom lie paired hooked triangles.
Borders: there are seven borders. From the inside:
1) dark brown ground with dark red squares.
2) and 6) light brown ground with stepped diamonds in dark red.
3) and 5) diagonal blocks in dark red, dark blue and dark brown, separated by white spots.
4) reciprocal trefoil in dark blue and dark red.
7) alternating red and dark brown blocks.
NB: at upper left and upper right, border 6) expands towards the nich forming two rectangles, each holding a floral stem smaller but similar to those in the field.
Catalogue date. 7.3.95
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Physical description | Single niche carpet WARP: white wool; Z2S; 17 threads per inch (67 per dm). WEFT: brown wool; Z spun, unplied, 2 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11 knots per inch (42 per dm). PILE: wool; 7 colours: dark red, red, light red, dark blue, dark brown, light brown, white; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 94 knots per sq. inch (1407 per sq. dm). SIDE FINISH: both sides missing END FINISH: lower has 2.5 cms. plain weave in bands of dark brown, dark red, dark blue and dark brown wool weft. Upper is incomplete with 1.5 cms. plain weave in dark brown weft. DESIGN: field: has light brown ground with a right-angled niche with chontains two rectangular motifs: the upper one is divided into siz blocks each containing the same linear motif; the lower is a four-horned rectangle containing concentric diamonds. The field, which is scattered with small animals, stylised flowers and geometric motifs, has five vertical, angular floral stems composed of diagonal blocks of colour. On a dark blue line along the main sides and bottom lie paired hooked triangles. Borders: there are seven borders. From the inside: 1) dark brown ground with dark red squares. 2) and 6) light brown ground with stepped diamonds in dark red. 3) and 5) diagonal blocks in dark red, dark blue and dark brown, separated by white spots. 4) reciprocal trefoil in dark blue and dark red. 7) alternating red and dark brown blocks. NB: at upper left and upper right, border 6) expands towards the nich forming two rectangles, each holding a floral stem smaller but similar to those in the field. Catalogue date. 7.3.95 |
| Dimensions |
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| Production | T. Clinton Bond, Quetta, Beluchistan. Purchased for £8 "prayer rug; Beluchistan" (one of ) "three prayer rugs.. (this being a) different type(s)" cf: see T.75-1969 analysed by Robert Piggenger in "Mind the Gap - Baluch Rugs in the V & A". Hali 1994, Issue 73 p.80 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.195-1922 |
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| Record created | August 14, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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