Kurdish Tent-Surround Hanging with Talismans

Three bands of color, studded with cowries, once hung against the wind.

Kurdish weavers of Turkey made this tent-surround hanging in wool and cowrie shells in the 20th century. Long woven bands like this were commonly used around the inside of nomadic tents, and cowries are widely associated with protection against the evil eye. The hanging is a long, narrow strip in three panels of burgundy, deep navy and burnt orange. Small cowries and tufts are scattered along its length, with a few simple lozenge motifs in the red field. Fringe frays softly at the lower end.

Tall and slim, it fills a narrow wall or a stairwell without crowding it. Color with a sense of humor.