Tafresh rug, $1,650

Tafresh rug
from western Persia
circa 1920
Size: 203 x 140 cm

List Price: $.2,400
Sale Price: $.1,650

One of the villages in the Hamadan/Malayer area making single-wefted rugs in a very traditional style is Tafresh. These rugs are instantly recognizable by the shape of the medallion and the weave which is relatively fine.
This field composition dates back to the classical 16th century carpets of the Safavid court. The central medallion is repeated as a quarter in each corner of the field. This feature, combined with the complexity of the medallion, has given rise to speculation as to the symbolic meaning. Among the possible explanations is that the medallion represents the sun itself, and the source of God’s light.
The scholar, Schuyler Camman, suggests more complex, hidden religious symbolism.