Rugs and Carpets

Ghiordes.—Mostly prayer-rugs, though in the i 9th century fairly large rugs of similar design were made. They are fine in texture and have a very short pile. The pattern is a delicate mosaic of small detail. The arch is steeply pointed and often supported by two columns and the niche is mostly plain. There are several narrow border-stripes (see fig. 19). The main colours are red, blue and white.

Kulah.—Prayer-rugs of medium texture and blue and yellow colouring, the reds having faded. The arch is a flat-pointed one (see fig. 2o), and there are often tree-forms in the niche. There are numerous narrow border-stripes with a pattern of small spots.

Ladik.

Prayer-rugs with red preponderating and some blue and yellow. One of the border stripes is wide. A characteristic feature is the row of upright lilies either above or below the prayer niche (see fig. 2 ) .

Mujur.—Loosely woven rugs with bright colours including much green.

Melas.—Prayer-rugs with brick red and yellow colouring. The pointed arch opens out at the top into a diamond shape. tinted rugs with two arches side by side often with different colouring. Bergama.—Largish square rugs of loose pile. The pattern mostly consists of a number of rectangu lar panels (see fig. 22). The colouring is dark, and that, as well as the detail, resembles that of some Turcoman rugs.

The Caucasus.

The Caucasian weaver is clearly inspired by the carpets of both Persia and Turkey, but in the matter of technique and colouring his debt is chiefly to the latter. Warp and weft are both of wool; the Ghiordes knot is always used and the texture is of medium fineness. The colours are few and bright, but more white is introduced than in the Turkish rugs and there is no predominance of red. Many Persian and Turkish patterns are adopted with a much more angular treatment, and purely geometrical ornament is not disdained. A common basis for the design is the rectilinear panel fringed with latch-hooks; and the ground is often filled with small detached devices, such as octagons, stars and animals capriciously inserted wherever there is a blank space. The drawing, apart from tone and colour, has rarely much beauty. Few of the earlier carpets—called Kuba in the trade—have been preserved.

Dragon.—This i 7th century type, once ascribed to Armenia, has a very quaint pattern apparently based on the Persian Diamond diaper; and introducing scarcely recognizable repre sentations of the dragon and other Chinese mythological crea tures. (See Plate VII.) Cufic Border.—A very formal arrangement of the third Persian floral type, mostly with a Cufic border (see fig. 23). They are found in the i8th century and onwards.

Shirvan.—An important group made by the sedentary popula tion. It has a rather fine texture and a short pile. The chief colours are red, blue and white. Of many kinds of patterns that with repeated panels is a favourite (see fig. Baku or Khila.—Large, long rugs made like the Shirvan, having large cone-devices and birds (see fig. 25). Their soft,

faded colours are supposed to go specially well with antique objects.

Daghestan.—Thicker than the Shirvan, with a rich yellowish tinge in the colouring, and a tendency to diagonal lines in the patterns (see fig. 26). The prayer rugs are often dated.

Kazak.—A very important group made by the nomadic peo ple (see figs. 27 and 28). They are rather coarse and have a long pile and two to four lines of red weft. The sides are overcast in different colours. Panelled fields are common and an interesting pattern is one of large radiating devices probably derived from the Dragon carpets. The colours are mellow with a good deal of brick-red.

Karabagh.—Woven like the Shirvans. The design often in cludes diamond-shaped panels and very angular cone-devices (see fig. 29) ; floral patterns in fluenced by Western art are not infrequent. Magenta and light blue are freely used.

Kiliins.—Large numbers of tapestry-woven rugs are made, mostly with geometrical patterns.

Soumaks.—These, made by the Soumak method, are mostly large rugs with a pattern of three octagons in the field.

Central Asia.

As the carpets of Western Turkestan are made by nomadic Turcoman tribes living in tents and constantly moving about, it is not to be expected that very old ones can still exist. Probably in fact few go back more than a hundred years, though it is almost certain that similar rugs have been made for centuries. Turcoman rugs are easily identified, for they all, excepting the Beluchis, have a dark red colouring and peculiar designs. Most of the older pieces are not in reality rugs at all though those intended for hanging in tent doorways have that appearance. The ma jority are bags, used for storage in the tents or on the pack ani mals. Those called camel-bags measure about five by three feet, and the tent or wall-bags three by one or more. Saddle bags consist of two squares of about two feet, joined together. There are also long bands about a foot wide and perhaps sixty yards long, which are for wrapping round the large tents. The small squarish rugs and larger ones of about ten by seven feet seem to be later in date and were perhaps made chiefly for sale. The Turcoman car pets (wrongly called Bukhara) have woollen warp, weft and pile, two lines of weft and nearly always the Sehna knot. They are surprisingly well woven for nomads with none but the most primitive appliances. After the predominant red, the chief colours are blue, white and a natural black that tones to a very pleasant brown. The char acteristic design is the octagon—or so-called elephant's f oot arranged in rows and columns, often with diamond-shaped fig ures in between. The doorway hangings—called Khatchlis (see fig. 30)—have cross shaped panelling and the smaller pieces often have a rectangular diaper. Woven end-webs and tassels are freely used as embellishments. The best classification is on a tribal basis.