When I bought this bag from a German dealer a couple of years ago it was the first time I'd seen a chanteh made in this way (folded in the centre and joined at the edge); since then I've come across several others. It appears to be characteristic of the Afshari. Flatwoven in earthy colours, the chevron pattern may be a distant echo of the 'tree of life' motif. Vertically shaped bags such as this one are sometimes described as 'spindle bags', but this is too small for that, and was almost certainly conceived as a purse or container for small personal articles. It measures 9" by 7.5".
