CHANTEH: Afshar fragment

Friday, January 10, 2020

Afshar fragment

I'm very fond of this bag, although the UK dealer from whom I bought it couldn't wait to get rid of it. It's made from half a conventional Afshar boteh chanteh, patched with leather, stitched up the side, with two loops added to the back so it can hang from a belt. Presumably the original bag was damaged, and the best piece was retained and 'repurposed'. In format it is similar to the small 'tea' or 'money' bags, also made to attach to belts, that come from northern Iran. It measures 29 x 23 cms.

This blog documents a collection of small South Persian tribal bags, most of which might be called 'chantehs'. Not all would conventionally be considered 'high quality', but they are generally interesting, and I've tried to include examples of very different styles and techniques. Most were made in the first half of the 20th century; some are earlier, and a handful are recent. Colours are assumed to be natural unless indicated to the contrary, and with a few exceptions, all materials are wool. The photographs were taken in natural light.

Viewers not familiar with the tribes or their confederations - Qashqa'i, Khamseh, Luri (or Lori), Bakhtiari, and Afshar - will find plenty of information on them in Wikipedia. And if you are really interested in collectors' debates and opinions, visit Turkotek, which is a good forum for both informed and speculative views on old textiles.

Click on the images to enlarge them. There are over seventy small bags illustrated here, so if you wish to see everything, remember to view the older pages. The collection has now more or less come to an end, but it is possible that a few pieces will be added from time to time. Curiously, as I've developed more experience in looking at and handling these weavings, my conclusions have become increasingly tentative - so readers should not regard my thoughts as being in any way definitive!

As I said when I started the blog ten years ago, the only book on the subject is 'Jayran - Tribal Woman and the Chanteh' by the late Parviz Homayounpour. It has been a great inspiration, and I heartily recommend it. Otherwise it is difficult to find a substantial group of images of these bags. In that light, I hope that the blog will be useful to collectors and to others who are interested in tribal weavings.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Afshar fragment

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