POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Praying bundle جانماز

Object No. A5827-1

This prayer bundle (ja namaz) was handcrafted in 19th century Persia (Iran), probably under the patronage of a Qajar family, by one of the master craftsmen in the cities of Kashan or Qom, known for the production of refined handmade textiles since the 15th century. During the late Qajar era (1800s - 1900s) many families in Persia had a strong interest in acquiring and collecting similar handmade multifunctional textiles. As a result, a range of refined small sized textiles and fabrics found their way into the homes of Qajar families, and consequently similar high-quality crafts were adopted for the Persian market. This square piece of fabric with metallic thread and polychrome motifs was probably used as an accessory for daily prayers by a female Shia devotee. The main body of this multi-coloured prayer bundle is made of five different pieces: a central panel with four borders sewn together delicately. The four borders around the main central panel are beautifully designed with ‘floral and foliate’ (gol-o barg) motifs accompanied by two gazelles (Ahou) on each border. The central panel is also adorned with floral and leaf patterns. This Qajar textile was part of a female prayer bundle where a prayer stone (mohr-e namaz) and rosary (tasbih) were kept and was probably used as a tablecloth in later years. Dr Pedram Khosronejad, Curator of Persian Arts, 2021