Antique Kurdish bag or chanteh from Iran. 50x33 cms

This antique little Kurdish kilim when I bought it was folded over and had a tiny kilim strap to keep it together. Since the strap was damaged, we opened it to make a cute little kilim. All the dyes are natural and is finely woven. 

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool

Size: 50×33 cms

Origin: Kurdish tribe from Iran

Date of weaving: 1900

Chanteh represents any small knapsack that is smaller than a saddle-bag. It is not usually a pair but a single independent item whether with a neck pendant band or, like a saddle bag, with a “lock and key”, and a “band and band-loops”. Tribal women weaved Chateh to provide a kind of wallet, knapsack or bag for their husbands and children. In the Chanteh they put money and provisions for the road, Chopogh (pipe with a long stem) and tobacco, cartridge and gunpowder poach, and other personal supplies and instruments…or things like scisors, needle, thimble etc. The coins, a small mirror and documents were also put in the chanteh.

Because of the special texture and personal use, the small chantehs follow almost no common rules and regulations; the weaving scheme, design and method vary as much as the dimensions and sizes. Also, due to the limitation of design space, the medallion and corner motifs, which is the principal motif for most rugs, it is very rare in most chanteh. The main motif is limited to one single pattern.

A rare Kurdish bag that has been opened out. Originally was folded in halve resulting in a square bag. The rectangular long and narrow strip was used to close the bag. All natural dyes.