PRAYER RUGS, the Mohammedan rug used for prostration during prayer. In con sidering anything to do with the Moslem we have to remember that of the many Oriental tribes most of them are nomadic or were so. Hence their customs. Their tent is their home, their furniture consists of rugs. Before the warmth of the fire they sit on the odjaklik; their floor is carpeted with the sedjadeh; they separate the tent into individual spaces with hangings (berdelik). But each devout Moslem (practically the entire population) must have his ((prayer)) rug (namazlik). Being the chief piece of religious furniture his prayer rug is as valuable as his financial condition affords, and on it he prostrates himself five times each day at the prescribed hour. First he spreads his rug in correct orientation, assisted by his compass, seeing that the niche (mihrab) points due toward Mecca, the grave place of Mo hammed. Next he removes all valuable belong ings, such as jewelry, money, etc., from his person to symbolize his abject humility before Allah; he combs his beard as symbol of cleans ing, then he brings forth his rosary of 99 beads and a piece of earth or stone taken from Mecca, placing them below the niche. Now he bows his head to the earth, stretches out his arms and in this pose carries out his devotions. The mihrab or niche is a point, or projection, extending from the central field of the rug, and represents the niche in which the Koran is preserved in the temple at Mecca. Prayer rugs vary in size from two and one-half to four feet in width by four and one-half to six feet in length. Some are made specially for the owner and have his name in wool on it; these are, of course, of the finest weave. Now and again we come across prayer rugs with a de sign of three or more niches for combined family or children's worship; mostly they are Caucasian. Some have three small medallions in place of the prayer niche; these spaces are for the knees and forehead of the devout.
Technique.—As each tribe follows closely the traditional designs (tereh), handed down through the centuries, more especially in its prayer rugs, they are the more easily assigned to the different localities of origin. The field of the prayer rug is divided into sections as follows : When a single panel (square) only appears it is always above the prayer space; Kulahs have generally but one, also Anatolians; but Bergamos generally have two panels, Ghiordes (see RUGS, ORIENTAL) nearly always, Kulahs seldom. When two panels are in the design one each is placed at the upper and the lower end. We find on some rugs emblems of the equipment crudely defined: a compass, a comb, sometimes the 99 beads of a rosary. A
small rhomboidal motif is found on some prayer rugs of Asia Minor designating the place for the devotee to put the earth or stone. Odd motifs figure at the sides of some niches show ing where to place the hands in worship. A characteristic of the Ghiordes prayer rug is the shoulder on either side of the base of the niche (see illustration). Pilasters used to support these in the old specimens; some had scroll or floral decoration, but they gradually lost resemblance to pilasters evolving into floral motifs, disappeanng altogether in some. Sus pended from the niche was a lamp motif or a floral piece, also later disappearing often. Some plant life is usually depicted inside the niche and on the inner side of the border. In the upper panel may be a floral decoration, a scroll or a verse from the Koran. The reclining S (—) or pothook also occurs in panels. A large palmette or rosette partly enclosed by foliage, somewhat like the Herati motif (see Rues, ORIENTAL) is common in the central border stripe, or square flowers and fruit. The wide stripe is at times represented by several narrow ones decorated with small floral figures. Tekke rugs differ so much from the carpets (sedjadeh) they would not be known as of the same tribal make. The glaring reds are not there (in antiques), but are replaced by sober, soft tones of wonderful richness; mahogany color with deep copper bronze tones as relief are usual. The motif in the border is a (multiplied tree pat tern') with thin lines of pure white as high lights. The design of the field corresponds with the borders in its tree form motifs. A hori zontal band runs midway across the field and a perpendicular traversing it divides the field into four parts, a tree in each. So much does the Tekke mamaeik differ from others that some of the experts have put them under a different heading, terming them Hardin or Princess Bokhara, and the term of the Arme nians is Khatchli Bokhara or Cross Bokhara, aPeause of the cross dividing the field. Tekke Inks are wider compared with their length . 'her prayer rugs with the exception of end Bergamos. Prayer rugs owned by collectors are rarely Persian as Per iammedans cannot bear the thought of iristians trampling on the sacred field aslik, but other Moslems are less strict.
rayer rugs) in America were made to • - Western markets.
Ellwanger, W. De L., 'The Rug> (New York 1903) ; Hawley, W. ntal Rugs> (New York 1913) ; Lewis, 'he Practical Book of Oriental Rugs' phis 1911) ; Mumford, J. K.,