Karabagh runner

Karabagh (also spelled Karabakh) rugs were made in a district of Armenian-controlled Azerbaijan, just north of the present Iranian border. The eye dazzling borders (both the primary one on a yellow ground flanked by two narrow secondary ones) surround a lavishly decorated field that is dominated by five diamond medallions. This rug may have been made in the southern area of this region, which is renowned for its prolific production. Given that these rugs are, for the most part, produced in workshops, the quality may differ according to the prestige and wealth of the individuals who own them. The dye quality is exceptional, as is common among rugs from the Caucasus, with brilliant indigo blue, deeply saturated madder red, and a yellow dye that has resisted any fading due to sun light. The zig zag motifs of both the secondary and primary border attractively frame the field; a factor which contributes to a dynamic quality not always evident in these very carefully-planned weavings.