Khamseh rug

Ostensibly, for a rug woven by one of the constituent tribes of the Khamseh Confederacy, this design is rare, if not unique. Woven with a camel wool ground (a rare feature), the field pattern seems to be derived from or influenced by prestigious the silk velvet ikats from the Yazd region of Central Persia. Held in high esteem by all throughout Persia, these textiles are sumptuously soft in the hand and a visual delight given the glossy nature of silk velvet ikat textiles. One might go further to speculate the design may be related to the ancient cypress tree motifs common to Baktiari rugs. The mixed brown warps seen at either end are an exclusive feature of Khamseh weavings, while the end finish in pile, mimicking flat woven ends, is another characteristic of the group. The camel wool ground provides a lovely contrast to the saturated colors of the motifs. Some might speculate this is a prayer rug but there is no evidence it had ever been designed for this function, though the natural ‘mihrab’ or pointed end of the central motif might suggest this purpose.