Prayer Mat

Title
Prayer Mat
Year/Period
Late 18th or Early 19th century
Region
Kashmir, India
Object Type
Material
Dimension
Object size: 125.0 x 78.0 cm
Accession No.
2021-00276
Collection of

This is a prayer mat made using two pieces of woven pashmina wool. The central field, shaped like a mihrab comprises of blue kani weaving with a repeated paisley or boteh pattern. The outer border is made of a multicoloured striped pashmina, with a pattern of a flower vine in each of the stripes. The weaving of pashmina wool into shawls and other household textiles is a traditional craft in Kashmir, and includes a wide repertoire of techniques, motifs and designs.