Afshar sumak salt bag

Packed with natural color, this is a very happy little salt bag. There is a great diversity among Afshar salt bags in size, shape, and technique. This small piece, woven in flat woven sumak technique, draws four boxes in the main field, each with a colorful rendition of a diamond cross device. These elements may have their origin in sumak weaving, but were readily transferred into pile by the Afshar and other east Persian weaving groups such as the Baluch. The colorful diagonal border seen here may also hint at the origin of this popular Afshar border type.