Vintage Qashqai kilim from Iran. 144x100 cms

A very minimalist vintage Qashqai sofreh. This striking sofreh or kilim used for making bread features a plain field, with the only asymmetry being the subtle color variations in the ivory-colored wool. The border is equally minimalist, consisting of a thin line of small triangles.

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool   

Size: 144×100 cms

Origin: Qashqai tribe, Iran

Date of weaving: 1980s

 

Sofrehs take their name from the Farsi (Persian) word for cloth and are used for several functions connected with preparing and eating food. Eating cloths are normally referred to simply as sofrehs and vary enormously in size-from small, rectangular mats for personal use to extremelly long, narrow runners for communal eating. They are woven in several standard techniques, including alternating bands of kilim and pile rug, and produced by a number of nomadic and tribal weavers in Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and to a lesser degree, elsewhere.