Object Description
A really stunning antique Shashavan kelleh carpet with exquisite colours and a striped Gendje border design. These tribal weavers from the north-eastern Persia reside in the mountainous area. This area was home to a smaller group of tribal weavers and these diverse weavings were based on vivid geometric designs usually with medallions repeating throughout such as this piece. The Turkish memling gul is often found on these pieces too and we can see other Caucasian rug attributes too from these pieces which are full of rainbow colours!
This amazing piece has been woven with the islamic date 1333, which translates to 1915 in our calendar. So we know it is 106 years old.
Condition is extremely good indeed, with a lovely high soft wool pile on this tribal piece. Some small areas of old restoration, in general it is in fantastic original condition.
Shashavan runners are sometimes known as Southern Caucasian rugs but maybe this is due to their close proximity to the Caucasus. Historians claim the Shah Abbas Safavid (1587-1629) formed this tribe to defend western frontiers against Turkish tribes, hence how the Shah was used to form this nomad tribe.