Shirvan rug (527)

Shirvan prayer rug from eastern Caucasus,west coast of the Caspian Sea

Age: circa 1880

Size: 4′.9"x3′.9" (145×114 cm)

The old ivory field shows a serrated diamond lattice enclosing rows of similar flowers including red,camel,and light blue.The pattern continues unchanged into both niche arch and the spandrels.The doubly serrated arch floats free of the side borders.At the edge of the field is a surrounding serrated pattern.There are five patterned borders:a red major stripe with a barred S pattern;another important border with a yellow ground and rosette S motif;two dark blue minor borders with rosette resembling part of niche arch which also displays a colorful rhomboid design;an inner band with a bitonal keyhole reciprocal and four black and white barber pole lines.At each end is a pale blue flatwoven finish,followed by a knotted warp net.The handle is soft and pliable.All the colors are from natural and vegetable sources.The rug is in good condition.