Terracotta Woven Bag Face
These terracotta woven bag face examples are authentic nineteenth and early twentieth century tribal textiles crafted for nomadic storage.
Terracotta Woven Bag Face
A terracotta woven bag face represents the front panel of a traditional nomadic storage container, saddle bag, or tent hanging. These textiles originated among tribal weavers in Persia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Most items encountered here belong to distinct tribal groups such as the Yomut, Tekke, Ersari, and Saryk Turkmen, alongside Kurdish, Qashqai, and Shahsavan weavers. They arrive primarily as surviving bag faces or fragments salvaged from complete dual-pouch horse and camel transport bags.
What varies in quality
Quality rests upon knot density, technical precision in flatweaving, and the depth of natural colour palettes. Finer examples display intricate guls, precise geometric repeats, and tight structural weaves executed by skilled hands.
State of preservation significantly influences standing, particularly the retention of original finishes, complete borders, and intact side cords. Strong chromatic vitality and minimal structural restoration elevate individual panels.
Terracotta Woven Bag Face Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for terracotta woven bag face among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Many surviving bag faces outlived the camels they once rode upon.
The Terracotta Woven Bag Face Glossary
- Torba
- A small Turkmen storage bag utilised for bedding or domestic items within the tent. These horizontal formats frequently feature primary guls.
- Chuval
- A large Turkmen tent bag designed for storage, typically displaying multiple rows of major gul motifs across the face.
- Soumak
- A supplementary weft-wrapping technique producing a durable, flat-faced textile without pile. This method allows for sharp diagonal pattern lines.
- Gul
- A primary medallion or repeating octagonal motif characteristic of Turkmen and Central Asian tribal weaving traditions.
- Khorjin
- The traditional Persian term for a double-pouched saddle bag intended for animal transport during nomadic migrations.
- Mafrash
- A rectangular box-shaped storage container panel utilised primarily for bedding stacks inside nomadic dwellings.
Terracotta Woven Bag Face: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bag face?
A bag face is the decorative front panel of a nomadic utility pouch that survived after the plain wool backing deteriorated or was removed.
These panels were preserved as independent textile artworks because of their intricate geometric designs and rich natural colouring.
How were these bags used?
Nomadic tribes utilised these containers for storing household goods, clothing, and bedding inside tents or during animal transport.
Saddle versions draped across horses and camels, serving practical transport functions while displaying tribal identity and status.
How do I identify tribal groups?
Tribal attribution relies on specific structural formats, wool quality, and characteristic geometric motifs such as specific guls.
For instance, Yomut and Tekke weavers deployed distinct border arrangements and medallion structures that separate them from Persian Kurdish or Shahsavan pieces.
How should I display a bag face?
These textile panels mount securely onto stretched linen or display flat behind protective framing materials.
Keeping them away from direct sunlight preserves the natural wool dyes and maintains the structural integrity of the weave.