1800s, Caucasian

Carpet, hand-knotted pile, Caucasian, 19th cnetury.
Note: small are of re-knotting at bottom left, in the border.

WARP: light brown wool and brown/white plied; Z2S; between 14-17 threads per inch (60 per dm).

WEFT: white wool; Z2S; usually 2 shoots after each row of knots but sometimes varies between 3 and 6; between 7-10 knots per inch (28-37 per dm).

PILE: wool; 8 colours: red, yellow, green, dark blue, blue, dark brown, light brown, white; symmetrical knot tied around 2 threads; between 49-70 knots per sq. inch (840-1147 per sq. inch).

SIDE FINISH: 2 cords overcast with white wool.

END FINISH: missing.

DESIGN: Field: a central row of three concentric hexagons adjoin a half row to both sides. The hexagonal medallions have a floral chequer-like fill, the central medallion with a green ground and the lower and smallest and the upper and largest with a white ground. The central and side concentrics share a white, linked outer border bearing tiny red and blue crosses. The borders of the half rows are consistently (apart from the lower quarters) in bule, light brown, blue, light brown, green, red but the complete concentrics vary - the outer ones including a yellow border. All borders bear the cross motif which, in the lowest part of the field, is occasionally a distinct floret.
Main border: dark brown (decayed) ground in all borders but the lower, where it is dark blue. Stylised white rosettes with floral centres and pseudo-kufic (debased) hooked bars, also in white, are all outlined in red.
Inner border: yellow ground bearing linked 'S' motifs in red. On the surviving outer side borders the same motif has a white ground.
Date catalogued: 11.12.96

Mentioned and illustrated in "Caucasian Rugs in the V & A", by M. Franses and R. Pinner (intro. by Donald King). Hali 1980, Vol. 3, No. 2, p.96, 106, 107, 114

This is a good example of balanced, bold and colourful design - no one element is dominant and yet look at the yellow, red and bright blue diagonal lines in the lower part of the field … did the weaver decide not to repeat them because the effect was to strong?

CIRC.2-1925