Afshar rug

Much has been written about this celebrated and well-published Afshar rug. Using a repeat pattern of rows centered around stepped rosettes and stylized vegetation, curiously found in both the pile weavings of the Afshar of southeast Persia and Kurdish and related groups of the Northwest, a secondary row of repeat is created blending octagonal with quatrefoil forms. This rug’s color is fantastic as it blends autumnal hues of gold and rose with several blues. An indigo main border, comprised of paired birds, frames the piece. This is of a type more typically seen in Afshar sumak work. The piece is clearly and legibly dated 1245 [AH], which roughly corresponds to the Western year 1829. Whether this date accurately conveys the age of the piece or was intended as a commemoration remains a subject for debate.