Shahsavan Salt Bag

The Shahsavan are one of the most famous confederations in northwest Iran. They were likely brought together by Shah Abbas (1571-1629) to provide him with loyal military strength, and have Turkish, Kurdish, Tadjic, and Georgian heritage.

This nomadic group regularly traveled through Transcaucasia during the Safavid period until the area was ceded to Russia in the 19th century. Most of the Shahsavan now live in northwest Iran.

The Shahsavan wove bags for most of their storage needs, since wool was such an accessible material. Weft-wrapping or slitweave were the most commonly used techniques. This bag was specifically designed to hold salt and is called a namakdan. Salt was hard to come by and important for home cooking and for taking care of livestock, so these bags were made with wide bottoms and narrow necks to prevent salt from spilling out accidentally.