Soumak Weave Double Saddle Bag

Two matching faces, a plain checked middle, and a cord to tie the whole thing shut.

This soumak weave double saddle bag comes from Kurdistan and dates to the 20th century. It is wool. Soumak is a weft-wrapping technique that builds a dense, slightly raised surface, and Kurdish weavers often used it for bags meant to be loaded onto animals. Each end carries a rust-red field with a jagged central lozenge, ringed by a dark blue border of small crosses and hooked squares in white, gold and green. The center panel is a simple check in red and navy, with braided cords and loops for closing. It is 1.7 feet wide and 4.3 long.

Built to travel, and dressed for the arrival.