Suzani #2

To put it simply, a suzani is a hand embroidered textile panel. The word suzani comes from a Persian word suzan, meaning needle.

Suzanis originated in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and other central Asian countries. They usually have a cotton base (sometimes silk) which is embroidered in a cotton or silk thread. Quite often suzanis are made in two pieces and stitched together.

Originally the use for a suzani was in a yurt, as a wrapping for belongings but they also had a symbolic significance. They were made by brides and their mothers as part of a dowry. They represented the binding together of two families and used symbols of luck, long life, fertility and health. The floral designs are symbols of a paradise garden from the concept of the Garden of Eden.

This beautiful vintage suzani in very subtle blues and reds on silk is from Uzbekistan.

Dimensions

160cm by 105cm

62 by 41 inches