A stunning example of traditional Caucasian artistry, this beautiful Shirvan area rug features an intricate allover geometric pattern handwoven with precision in the Shirvan village of Azerbaijan, circa the late 1800s. The design is set against a rich dark blue abrash field, showcasing rows of finely rendered geometric motifs of extraordinary variety and detail.
A striking red band created naturally through the abrash process of vegetable dyeing adds depth and character — illustrating the organic evolution of color that occurs when wool is hand-dyed in small batches, where slight variations in dye concentration produce tonal shifts that give antique rugs their living quality. This sought-after abrash effect highlights the authenticity of natural dyes and captures the creative spontaneity of the weaver's hand in a way that no commercial dye-lot process can replicate. Shirvan rugs, woven in the southeastern region of Azerbaijan along the Caspian coast, represent one of the most technically refined and design-sophisticated traditions within the broad Caucasian weaving world. Distinguished by finer knotting than the bold Kazak rugs of the higher mountains, Shirvan weavings offer an intricate geometric vocabulary, a luminous palette of vegetable-dyed wool, and an elegance that has made them prized by collectors of antique Caucasian textiles for generations.
Dimensions: 3' 10" x 6' 9"
Date of Manufacture: 4th Quarter of the 19th Century
Place of Origin: Caucasus (Shirvan, Azerbaijan)
Material: Wool pile on a wool foundation with vegetable dyes
