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Shirvan Pile Rug
Late 19th Century

The design on this piece has come to be known as 'Daghestan,' though no particular association with that region can be established. It's been widely woven in the Eastern Caucasus. The present example, with its flat back, is presumably from the Shirvan area. Though generally typical of its genre (of which many thousands have been produced in the late 19th century), the present example sports more saturated colors than many others, and has some amusing amulets in the area around the mihrab as seen in the detail picture. The piece has velvety lustrous pile, with some small areas of repair.