Prayer Carpet
1800s (made)
Prayer carpet, hand-knotted woollen pile on wool warp and weft; Caucasian, 19th century.
WARP: cream wool and cream and light brown plied; Z2S; 20 threads per inch (77 per dm).
WEFT: white wool; Z3S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11-14 knots per inch; 43-55 dm.
PILE: wool; 10 colours: dark red, red, dark yelow, green, dark blue, blue, dark brown, brown, light brown, white; symmetrical knot tied around 2 threads; between 110-140 knots per sq. inch (1634-2090 per sq. dm).
SIDE FINISH: 1 cord oversewn with white cotton.
END FINISH: both have 1 cm plain weave with white cotton (Z3S) and the remains of a fringe, 4 warp threads tied in a single knot, max. length 1.25" (4 cms).
DESIGN: Field: white ground with serrated dark blue lattice enclosing eight bands of offset (four or five) stylised floral sprigs. The ground, lattice and sprigs extend into the niche and two spandrels. Small diamonds fill side spaces. A red serrated edging surrounds the field, spandrels and the six-sided dark blue band outlining the niche. This band bears a line of small flowers and acutely-angled green lines.
Borders: there are five borders, described from the inside:
(1) reciprocal blue and brown diamond heads.
(2) dark yellow ground with eight-petalled, star-like flowers with diagonally angular leaves.
(3) dark blue ground (see niche outline above).
(4) red ground with large Z-motifs biforcated at each end into triangles and barred centrally.
(5) as (3)
Date catalogued: 8.1.97
WARP: cream wool and cream and light brown plied; Z2S; 20 threads per inch (77 per dm).
WEFT: white wool; Z3S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11-14 knots per inch; 43-55 dm.
PILE: wool; 10 colours: dark red, red, dark yelow, green, dark blue, blue, dark brown, brown, light brown, white; symmetrical knot tied around 2 threads; between 110-140 knots per sq. inch (1634-2090 per sq. dm).
SIDE FINISH: 1 cord oversewn with white cotton.
END FINISH: both have 1 cm plain weave with white cotton (Z3S) and the remains of a fringe, 4 warp threads tied in a single knot, max. length 1.25" (4 cms).
DESIGN: Field: white ground with serrated dark blue lattice enclosing eight bands of offset (four or five) stylised floral sprigs. The ground, lattice and sprigs extend into the niche and two spandrels. Small diamonds fill side spaces. A red serrated edging surrounds the field, spandrels and the six-sided dark blue band outlining the niche. This band bears a line of small flowers and acutely-angled green lines.
Borders: there are five borders, described from the inside:
(1) reciprocal blue and brown diamond heads.
(2) dark yellow ground with eight-petalled, star-like flowers with diagonally angular leaves.
(3) dark blue ground (see niche outline above).
(4) red ground with large Z-motifs biforcated at each end into triangles and barred centrally.
(5) as (3)
Date catalogued: 8.1.97
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | hand-knotted woollen pile on wool warp and weft |
| Brief description | 1825-75, Caucasian; Daghestan |
| Physical description | Prayer carpet, hand-knotted woollen pile on wool warp and weft; Caucasian, 19th century. WARP: cream wool and cream and light brown plied; Z2S; 20 threads per inch (77 per dm). WEFT: white wool; Z3S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 11-14 knots per inch; 43-55 dm. PILE: wool; 10 colours: dark red, red, dark yelow, green, dark blue, blue, dark brown, brown, light brown, white; symmetrical knot tied around 2 threads; between 110-140 knots per sq. inch (1634-2090 per sq. dm). SIDE FINISH: 1 cord oversewn with white cotton. END FINISH: both have 1 cm plain weave with white cotton (Z3S) and the remains of a fringe, 4 warp threads tied in a single knot, max. length 1.25" (4 cms). DESIGN: Field: white ground with serrated dark blue lattice enclosing eight bands of offset (four or five) stylised floral sprigs. The ground, lattice and sprigs extend into the niche and two spandrels. Small diamonds fill side spaces. A red serrated edging surrounds the field, spandrels and the six-sided dark blue band outlining the niche. This band bears a line of small flowers and acutely-angled green lines. Borders: there are five borders, described from the inside: (1) reciprocal blue and brown diamond heads. (2) dark yellow ground with eight-petalled, star-like flowers with diagonally angular leaves. (3) dark blue ground (see niche outline above). (4) red ground with large Z-motifs biforcated at each end into triangles and barred centrally. (5) as (3) Date catalogued: 8.1.97 |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production | 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. 95, 105, 114 c.f. Schurmann (1964) ill. 319 "Dagestan" Bennett (1981) ill. 431 "Dagestan. Probably late 19th c." Erdmann (1976) ill. 110 "Caucasus (Shirvan) dated 1867 (1284 AH) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 407-1880 |
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| Record created | August 1, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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