This Persian rug has ancient confidence.
A stunning antique Persian tribal rug, woven in the early 1920 with small scale shrub motifs in the field. In the corners on charcoal ground are mahi (mahi means fish) though the motif itself tells a richer story. The mahi pattern is one of the oldest continuous motifs in Persian weaving, a symbol of abundance, fertility, and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Holding the field in its embrace: a magnificent multi-band border anchored by the turtle (or kheshtī) motif, and here is where things get quietly extraordinary. Each turtle form cradles a pinwheel rosette on its back, a motif weavers understood as the wheel of life…the cycle of seasons, the turning of the cosmos, the endless renewal of the earth. The turtle itself is a symbol of longevity and protection across many cultures; slow, patient, enduring. That these two symbols, the pinwheel of cosmic motion and the turtle of steadfast endurance, were woven together with such care speaks to the weaver's understanding of something larger than the loom.
Flanking the field, the four dramatic black spandrels anchor the composition with a bold graphic presence, a masterful counterpoint to the warmth of the ivory ground. A French blue swims through the border bands, cooling the terracotta reds and lending the whole piece an almost painterly sophistication.
The wool is vegetable-dyed, hand-spun, and gloriously aged. The pile is low and stout. This is a rug that has known a century of life and shows it beautifully…not worn, but lived-in in the very best sense.
And practically speaking? This rug is a workhorse. Stout and solid, with the tight, resilient weave characteristic of tribal Persian work, built for beauty and for use, so don't be afraid to use it, it will hold its own in a high-traffic area and only grow more beautiful over time.
The Rug Rundown…
the wool…the weave…the wear
Size: 4'5 x 6'
Material: Vegetable dyed wool
Construction: Hand knotted
Age: 1920s
Design: Tribal with animal motifs and nature inspired
Condition: Low pile…clean, stout, and solid
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:: Please consider a rug pad for this old beauty, to keep it protected and wiggle free. Click below if you want to add one at BPR and we will custom cut it to size:
Medium Rug Pad
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