Belouch Salt bag face with theme of birds and prancing hares on a beige ground.
A hand-knotted wool Belouch Salt bag face mat/rug with a beige centre field featuring brown hares, birds and floral motifs, surrounded by a dark brown and red patterned border, shown on a plain white background.
A close-up of a handwoven Afghan Belouch Salt bag face with a beige background and dark brown animal motifs, including deer and birds, surrounded by a patterned border with blue, green, and red accents.
Close-up of the hand-knotted weave of a Belouch Salt bag face mat/ rug pattern in beige, brown, red, green, and blue, shown with a metal ruler to show scale of the knotting.

Vendor:The Oriental Rug Merchant Ltd

Belouch Salt bag face

£75.00

Rug Size: 71 x 42cm

This curious small rug or mat is a rather remarkable shape. The reason behind it's odd shape is that it is the face or front of a Salt Bag. Sometimes known as "Namakdan", this piece would have once had a back and was perhaps been used by the Belouch nomads for for storing salt.

This is a charming and collectable unique tribal artefact at a great price and is a great display piece and talking point.

The colours and design of this Belouch Salt Bag face

This Afghan Belouch Salt Bag face displays an enchanting pictorial design of birds, prancing hares, as well as stylised flowers and plants set against a beige field. This is surrounded by a simple border in cinnamon brown. On each end of this piece you will notice a small band of intricate flat weaving. This is a feature commonly found in Belouch tribal bags. In it's previous life as a Salt Bag /  Namakdan, the opening to the bag would have been the narrow end at the top of the picture. 

What this Belouch Namakdan bag-face is made from

This intricately handwoven tribal bag face/front was made from wool and cotton. It has a hand-knotted woollen pile, often on a salt bag the decorative feature is flat woven. The woollen pile was hand-knotted onto cotton foundations. We can see the cotton fringes which are also the warp threads on the top, bottom and shoulders of the bag-face.

Where this Salt Bag face is from

This tribal item was handmade by a Belouch weaver in the vicinity of Herat in north-west Afghanistan. The Belouch are prolific weavers of all sorts of woven handicrafts and their output ranges from small rugs and prayer rugs, salt bags and saddle-bags. 

Key details:

  • Country of origin: Afghanistan
  • Size: 71×42cm / 2’4″x1’5″ 
  • Thickness: 6mm
  • Pile: Wool, hand-knotted
  • Warp: Cotton
  • Age: In the order of 20 years old

 

In stock! Ships within 1-2 business days.

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Need advice? We can advise on the best purchase for your requirements.

14 day return policy
Frequently asked questions about Afghan rugs

Oriental rugs are renowned for their longevity and can often last for generations. 

I’d like to buy it, is the rug shown the rug I’ll get? 

Yes, all of our rugs are handmade and the vast majority are one-of-a-kind. This is the exact rug you will receive. No substitutions.

I’m interested in this rug, but would like to see it before I decide – can I come and see it at your shop? 

Of course! All of the rugs displayed and shown as in stock on our website are available to view and buy in-store.

How quickly will I receive my rug and how much does delivery cost? 

We aim to dispatch our Rugs as quickly as possible. Deliveries in the UK are generally achieved in 2-3 working days. Within the UK there is no carriage charge for rugs.

I’m not located in the UK, will you send it to destinations outside of the UK?

Please contact us, referencing which rug you would like to buy and your delivery address to find out shipping costs.

How long will my rug last? 

Hand-knotted Rugs and Handwoven Rugs are extremely long-lasting items. If properly looked after Oriental Rugs can outlive their owner and maybe even last for generations. In many cases rugs improve with age.

Will the colours of my rug fade? 

Handmade Oriental rugs will soften in colour over time. Of course, like any textile, if the rug is used in an area of strong sunlight, such as in a Conservatory for instance, the fading process will be more rapid. During days of strong sunshine, it is good practice to draw the curtains or blinds to keep your Oriental rug looking at its best.

Will the colours transfer onto the flooring underneath? 

This is a tricky one to answer! If only we had a crystal ball! There is a risk. Our rugs are all handmade and made with artisan dyes. All of our rugs are thoroughly washed prior to export and any excess dye should come out in the washing process. However, on the odd occasion, the dye can still sometimes transfer. This phenomenon is increased by humidity and temperature, and is regrettably irreversible. If you are concerned about this possibility, perhaps consider using an Underlay to put a barrier between the rug and the flooring/fitted carpet underneath.

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How do I care for my Afghan Rug

They are easy to care for, but here’s a few helpful pointers to keep your new Afghan rug looking great: 

Vacuum

Hoover it regularly – perhaps once a week. This is good practice as tiny dirt particles can cause premature wear. Vacuum it with just the nozzle suction, as rotating brushes can be abrasive. Try to keep the vacuum cleaner away from the fringes as this is probably the weakest point on an Oriental rug; fringes and vacuum cleaners don’t mix!

Rotate 

It is a good idea to rotate your Afghan rug on occasion. This will help prevent areas of concentrated wear. Foot shuffling when watching the TV is a prime culprit! Rotating your rug will also help to even-out any incremental changes in colour from exposure to sunlight.

Blot

Any spills should be blotted immediately: blot with kitchen towel or clean un-dyed absorbent cloth; avoid rubbing or scrubbing which can spread the spill or push the spill deeper into the rug.

Use a Rug Underlay

A good rug underlay will keep the rug in place, thereby preventing uneven wear and will help the rug keep from going out of shape.

Professional Cleaning

This is something that is required infrequently, perhaps every 3-5 years depending on use. Please contact us if you would like to have your rug cleaned as we offer a Rug Cleaning Service.