Doek voor gebedssteen

1950

Prayer stone cloth. Embroidered cloth with geometric figures, a large part of which is made up of triangles. In the middle there is a surface that is divided into four parts. In each section there is a motif composed of four fork-like figures, which in three of the four cases are fitted into each other. Around these four planes is a strip with inward directed oblong figures composed of little triangles (five on top of each other embroidered and mirrored triangles). These motifs can also be found in a somewhat larger version (and with 6 instead of 5 embroidered and mirrored triangles) in a strip more to the outer edges. Between the two strips with similar motives a narrow strip with angular o-forms. In the strip at the outermost edges of the cloth there are again figures composed of triangles; in the outermost strip, however, they are tilted 90° (pointing to the side instead of inward) and form one continuous whole.‖ The prayer stone cloths are used to hold the prayer stone (mohr or turba) used by Shiites. The prayer stones are made of baked clay from Kerbela. The prayer stones are kept wrapped in the cloths in the house or on the body. When praying one puts the prayer stone cloth on the prayer rug. Prayer cloths and stones are placed on the prayer rug in such a way that one touches the stone with one's forehead when bending over during prayer. The cloths may be used by any clean person. The cloths belong to the sacred objects; when they are worn out they are buried, so that they cannot be touched with the feet. The cloths may not be sold or used for any other purpose. Nevertheless, some use the cloths as wall decorations or pillowcases (Janata & Jawad 1983: 172-173).‖ The cloth is of cotton and the thread used to embroider is probably glossy cotton. The cotton cloth is machine-made, the same is probably true of the thread. The cloths are embroidered by women and girls. According to the literature, embroidering the motifs requires extraordinary skill (Janata & Jawad 1983: 173). It is difficult to determine what stitches are used in the embroidery. The stitches presumably used are flat stitches (e.g. for tessellations), stitching stitches (both for tessellations and for the hem) and running stitches (holbein designs).