This area rug presents an unusual blue-green field, brightened by alternating bands of stars woven in red and orange. Emblazoned in motifs that are staples of Shahsevan weaving, it was robustly woven of hard-wearing, dense wool at the turn of the last century.
A Rare Color Field
The predominant hue in this all-wool kilim is unusual: a dark blue-green with warm undertones. Several factors contribute to the rarity of green in naturally dyed antique rugs. Among them, greens are generally achieved through the unusual combination of indigo and yellow dyestuffs, requiring multiple dye baths to achieve a desired hue. In addition, greens have a tendency to fade over time.
The blue-green in this rug has stabilized in a pleasing shade of teal. The field is overlaid with bands of brick red and flame orange. Stylistic elements woven in cream and denim blue wool fill out the composition.
Shahsevan motifs: symbolism of semi-nomads
The kilim features three main horizontal bands of diamond-shaped star motifs (yildiz), a symbol traditionally associated with happiness. These are offset by four narrower bands of ram’s horns (koç boynuzu), a motif drawn from pastoral surroundings and indicative of strength and virility (Hull and Luczyc-Wyhowska, Kilim: The Complete Guide, 1993, p. 68).
This rug was hand-woven by Shahsevan weavers in northwest Persia around 1900. Its borderless composition, all-wool construction, extra cord wrapping in the selvedge, and bold motifs suggest it was made by the Shahsevan of Hashtrud, a band of the Shahsevan who migrated from the Moghan River basin (in today’s Azerbaijan) and settled in semi-nomadic settlements between the cities of Tabriz and Bijar (Hull and Luczyc-Wyhowska, p. 196-201). The presence of numerous Shahsevan clans in and around Hashtrud has influenced local design tendencies, lending weavings from the region notable stylistic diversity (Tanavoli, Persian Flatweaves, 2002, p. 81-81).
Condition and Use
A true antique, this kilim is in fair condition. With small areas of wear consistent with age, its wool is coarse and robust—as in commonplace among Hashtrud pieces—but tightly spun and compactly woven.
All original fringe remains intact. However, a section of the decorative supplemental brocade at one end has been rewoven. This old repair is visible in as a difference in the hue of the affected wool.
The rug is heavy and will tolerate use in high-traffic areas. However, a rug pad is recommended to keep it in place if used on a hard surface.
