150.00 €
A minimalist Vintage Shia Janamaz prayer kilim from Iran with an empty field. This kilim showcases a plain sand coloured central field representing the earth (for more information, see below). It has been woven with finely spun wool, and therefore the weaver could go into lots of detail in the intricate border. A beautiful little kilim.
Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool and camel wool
Size: 82×52 cms
Origin: Qashqai tribe, Iran
Date of weaving: 1970s
It is generally accepted that Shia Muslims, unlike Sunnis, do not use specifically designed kilims or prayer rugs as they pray directly on a rug, a cloth, the ground, a stone or on a Turbah (or Mohr in Persian), a cloth or on a rug.
However, during the last 27 years on my frequent trips to southern Iran, I have repeatedly found that Shia Muslims in southern Iran use a type of small kilim that acts as a Janamaz or prayer kilim. I have acquired some of these tiny kilims directly from the person who used them for prayer and have been confirmed on numerous occasions that this type of kilim is used during prayer.
The small size of these prayer kilims is due to their function of covering the ground only in the area where the faithful will rest their head. The material used is always wool, which, in most cases, is left in its natural undyed colour, representing the earth. It is also significant that many of these kilims have been woven from camel wool in the central field.
1 in stock
Additional information
| Weight | 0.9 kg |
|---|