Lecture: “Weavings of Nomads in Iran: Warp-Faced Bands & Related Textiles” with Dr. Fred Mushkat, Independent Researcher & Collector, St. Petersburg, FL Saturday, May 21, 2016. Warp-faced weavings made by nomads in Iran are an oft neglected aspect of their weaving culture. These utility weavings include bands made for decorating horses, camels, and mules and for attaching cargo bags to pack animals. Bands were used in tents for structural support and decoration. Other warp-faced textiles include tent and transport containers. Warp-faced flatweaves were placed over bedding bags in the tent, placed on animals and used as floor coverings. In addition to a talk about these weavings, Dr. Mushkat will be showing examples from the major nomadic pastoralists in Iran, a number of which have not been seen in North America. Fred Mushkat has been a practicing emergency physician since 1979. His interest in textiles began in 1977 when he began going to yard sales and finding an occasional Oriental rug. Like many people at that time, he became interested in "ethnographic" textiles and focused on non-commercial weavings made by nomads. He began collecting bands in 1986, and published an article on warp-faced bands in hali 84, in 1996. In 2001, he curated an exhibition of warp-faced bands from Iran at the American Conference of Oriental Rugs (acor). He is in the final stages of completing a book on these textiles, to be published by hali publications. For details of time and location, please visit www.tmasc.org