Marasali rug (495)

Marasali prayer rug from Kuba district,eastern Caucasus,west coast of the Caspian Sea

Age: circa 1875

Size: 4′.8"x3′.6" (142×107 cm)

This very well woven eastern Caucasian prayer rug shows a wide variety of colorful botehs on a navy ground.The botehs continue into the spandrels and are all surrounded by tiny lozenges and other geometric devices.Along the bottom of the field is a row of four legged animals.The floating niche arch displays a double sawtooth edge and is filled by stars converting to combs near the apex.Similar stars decorate the red and dark brown minor borders.The main border shows amusingly patterned pigeon botehs.There are two quincunx lines,two black and white striped barber pole strips,several solid lines and edging the field is an ivory sawtooth.At each end is a narrow flatwoven band with the remains of a knotted warp finish.The weave is extremely fine and crisp.All the colors are from natural sources.The piece is in good condition.