antique caucasian prayer rug DAGHESTAN

A typical Daghestan prayer rug in every way: ivory field, honeycomb lattice pattern with various multicoloured flower styles, red “S” main border, square form.  An iconic caucasian prayer rug, rare to find.

A very finely delineated trellis, whose cells are interconnected by small cruciform flowers, contain a wide variety of clourful flowers and covers the ivory field. The niche arch is pointed at the apex and is strikingly accentuated by a dark border that belongs to the typical repertoire of the region, the same flanking the main double “S” red main border.  In the spandrels, to right and left of the niche, we can see magic diamonds, a minuscule ewer and a couple of comb, both symbols of purification to be carried out with the ritual ablutions that preced the five daily prayer sessions in wich every good beliver is required.

The unusual rare wide vertical frame corresponds exactly to the half of the rug ivory field, giving a balance of space rather rare for an antique Daghestan prayer rug, in which the importance of the field always predominates over the border. The weave is very fine and regular, the thickness is extremely thin, all these signs of a highly professional and adept weaver.

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