Afshar rug, Exhibition ‘South Persian Tribal Rugs’

Afshar rug

from southern Persia

circa 1900

Size: 145 x 128 cm

The Afshar are a turkic speaking tribe which incorporates both settled and nomadic people. They are of turkic stock, originally  from the province of Azerbaidjan in the northwest of Persia, and are believed to have been dispersed initially by Shah Tahmasp in the 16th century and subsequently by other rulers who also saw them as a threat to their own stability. Whilst some groups later settled in other parts of north Persia and Turkey, the group best known for its fine carpets inhabit the area south of Kirman in southern Persia. This charming small rug of squarish proportions features a favourite design of Afshar weavers, two ivory latch-hooked medallions floating on a dark indigo field surrounded by a myriad of small geometric motifs. There is a sense of ‘looking through’ several outer fields of light blue and red into the dark blue central field.