Khamseh rug

Khanseh rug
from south Persia
late 19th century
Size: 184 x 131 cm

The Khamseh are a confederacy of five tribes who banded together in the 1860s purportedly to combat the might of the neighbouring Qashqa’i tribes. In the 19th century they produced rugs similar in character to those of the Qashqa’i. The overall palette was, however, somewhat darker and the warp material invariably brown undyed wool.
Chicken motifs, murgi, and stylised plant forms are contained within a lattice arrangement in the field of this rug. The overall composition is playful and typical of the Arab subgroup of the Khamseh.
The ultimate effect is not one of clutter but one of great harmony and enduring entertainment.