Bag

Merchant bag which would have been draped over a camel or horse's back to transport goods. Double saddlebags like these were used by Jain merchants in Western Rajasthan to transport goods as they travelled from village to village doing business. Usually money, accounting ledgers, and clothing were stored in one side of the bag while the other was reserved for food and cooking utensils. The bag is made of a heavy cotton and bears inscriptions detailing who made it and the date and location of manufacture, a useful trait when travelling by caravan so that the merchants could distinguish between their goods. Designs of peacocks, camels, buildings, swastikas, and geometric patterns appear on the front and back of the piece in red. These types of merchant bags ceased being produced after the 1950's.