textile; prayer mat; Namazlik

Prayer mat ('Namazlik') in the form of a rectangular felt with rounded corners. The textile consist of a cream ground with linear red and black decoration on one side. The pattern resembles the outlines of 4 lambskins, laid on top of each other. 3 "S" shaped motifs are situated at either end, and in the centre of the pattern. The "S" motifs (Kamcha motifs) are probably intended to ward off the evil eye.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk