Afshar rug

The Afshar are a tribal confederacy of Turkic nomads with roots in Northwest Persia and Azerbaijan. Most Afshar weaving, however, comes from south Persia, particularly the area around Kerman. In the 17th century, in order to defuse their power, many Afshars were resettled by the Shah to areas in the south of the empire. Afshar weaving of the 19th century is curious. Though proficient and recognizable by weave across southern Persia, Afshar rugs frequently borrowed designs and subject matter from Persian village and workshop weaving. This small Afshar uses a classic Persian central medallion, drawing it faithfully against a golden ground. Surrounding this construction, however, is a more tribal geometric rendering of reciprocal triangles in indigo blue and madder red that contain small individuated flowering shrubs.