This is a wall hanging from Tajikistan, purchased in Iran (ignore the innocent bystander caught in the photo). Tajikistan is next to China and Afghanistan. This suzani is also in Dr. Shirazi’s embroidery collection (many, many more left to go!). Suzani literally means “needlework” in Persian.
You can tell which direction is up from the shape outlined in orange and white in the center. This notch represents the mihrab, the niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca, so that Muslims know which direction to face while praying.
Below are close-up photos of some of the motifs.
I wrote more about the stitching and motifs in suzanis in a previous post, Suzanis from Uzbekistan.
Now I’d like to show you the back of the suzani.
This is a spectacular demonstration of dyes fading in the sunlight. The original owner of the suzani left it hanging in bright light. The back of the suzani was protected from fading. The vast majority of dyes are not lightfast (i.e. they will fade when exposed to light). So when you look at historical tapestries and embroideries, keep in mind that many of the colors may have faded away – the dominant colors may be in areas where lightfast dyes were used, and not the original impression intended at all. Here is one last comparison photo of the front and back:
This is one of a special series of posts based on the embroidery collection of Dr. Faegheh Shirazi, from The University of Texas at Austin. Her research is on “textiles, dress, gender identity discourse, and material culture in the Middle East; the meanings of veiling; rituals and rites of passage as they relate to material culture.” Over the years she has collected a number of examples of embroidery from around the world, and has very kindly allowed me to photograph them for my blog.
embroidery for ducks 
What stitches are used in this piece? Looks like maybe chain and satin? It is beautiful! The vibrancy of the unfaded colors is something else!
I was going to ask the same thing Julie! lol
The yellow flowers look to be satin stitched. But in the pictures the petal’s look to large to make it effective. Is it a couched stitch? Also looks to be done in a thick thread. Is this all done in a wool yarn to? Sorry but inquiring minds want to know.:)
I think Ill go check your last blog on suzanis. Watch my face will be red if you had all answers there.
To be honest, I’m a little unsure. All the articles on suzanis I’ve seen online say chain stitch and basma stitch, and state that basma stitch is equivalent to Bokhara couching. But couching usually leaves the back of the work fairly uncovered, and these motifs are very solidly stitched on both sides. I might have to re-examine it closely to be sure.
I don’t think it’s wool – it isn’t that fuzzy. Perhaps I should take a look at that again, too.
All good questions!
It looks like Bokhara couching to me, at least in parts, but I never get that solid a stitched appearance on the back when I do that stitch, so please see what you can find out!
Greetings,
Lovely embroidery!!
If anyone is interested, the symposium proceedings of the Textile Society of American 2010 and 2008 are available on line. visit http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tsaconf/ digital archives University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Scroll to 2008 for the article ” Catching the Light, Catching the Waves. the Suzani collection of Doris Duke at Sangri La in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Enjoy,
Monique
thanks Monique! I will take a look.