This striking suzani with its ground fully covered in red silk embroidery is from Pskent, a small town close to Tashkent that lay on a branch of the Silk Route leading to the Ferghana valley. As a small town, the number of pieces produced there was limited and consequently they are relatively rare. But they are distinguishable both by their intense red and by their graphic sense which is almost contemporary in design. They are also rich in symbolism. The layout is in the form of a cosmic map with the central large medallion representing the sun or cosmic centre. The smaller medallions represent planets or celestial spheres. The deep black vine outlining is like a cosmic web connecting all celestial bodies. The design thus represents a solar system radiating out from the central medallion and with its origins in pre-Islamic Zoroastrian fire and sun worship.