Shirvan prayer rug,

Shirvan prayer rug

from the eastern Caucasus

late 19th century

Size: 131 x 108 cm

A fascinating small Shirvan prayer rug.

It has a rich darker palette with plenty of unusual colours, a burnt orange madder and the use of undyed camel hair or wool. The squarish proportions of the rug are extremely pleasing as is the decorative detail covering the field and spandrels above the ‘mihrab’ (prayer arch) –  stylised animals and amulets. 

The field design of stylised ‘lotus’ palmettes is free and floating across the ivory ground unrestricted by the more customary grid of a lattice pattern.