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Varamin Rukorsi — Persia, c. 1920
A Warming Hearth
The Piece
In a nomadic society organized around seasonal migrations, rugs—portable things that can be folded, rolled, and packed—play an outsized role.
Seating? Rugs.
Storage? Rugs.
Tent flaps? Rugs.
This charming piece is, similarly, a functional weaving: a rukorsi, a decorative table cover serving as the centerpiece of social life in a rural home.
A Warming Hearth
As early as the Sassanian period, Persian households relied on the heat of a small, portable brazier to keep winter’s chill at bay. Families gathered round this hearth to eat, drink, smoke, play cards, sleep, and mark the passage of Yalda. Large blankets draped over top trapped the low, steady heat of the coals, warming those seated around it.
The rukorsi was the finishing touch. It added another layer of insulation and beautified the focal point of domestic life.
Hali, Vol. 4 No. 4, p. 383.
She strung two beads into the braided fringe—likely to mark the head of the korsi. A weaver’s mark
Tribal Colors
This rukorsi is from Varamin, a market town outside Tehran influenced by nearly every tribal and ethnic group that has left its mark on Iran itself.
Its field of undyed wool in a warm, bright camel-brown is a hallmark of Kurdish weaving, yet the colorful motifs that form the border are distinctly Shahsevan. The warps are natural cream and brown wool. The weaver has left her mark, stringing two beads into the braided fringe—likely to mark the head of the korsi.
Ford and Pohl-Schillings, Persische Flachgewebe, p. 94.
Condition & Use
The rug is in very good condition. The wool is crisp and densely packed. An old, high-quality repair to the field is all but invisible, as are the faint signs of use. It will withstand normal floor use, but will creep on most surfaces unless paired with a rug pad.
It is recommended for (careful) use in a kitchen or dining area—as intended by its weaver—or anywhere a soft, warming touch is needed.
Details & Specifications
|
Age |
c. 1920 |
|
Pile |
Flatweave |
|
Format |
Accent Rug, Décor |
|
Length |
158 cm / 5 ft 2 in |
|
Width |
125 cm / 4 ft 1 in |
|
Colors |
Brown, Black, Red, Blue, Green, Beige |
|
Materials |
Undyed camel wool field; colorful Shahsevan ‘comb’ border. Handspun wool. |
|
Origin |
Persia (Iran) |
|
Group |
Shahsevan |
Please refer to individual care instructions provided with the rug or contact us for more details.
- Ships free of charge via express parcel service.
- Risk-free returns as stipulated in our Refund Policy.