This exquisite Caucasian Soumak kilim, originally crafted as a horse saddle blanket or tent decoration in the fourth quarter of the 19th century, is a stunning example of tribal textile artistry at its most expressive. Woven in richly saturated colors and intricate geometric patterns in the soumak technique — a wrapped flatweave that creates a textured, tapestry-like surface — it reflects the cultural heritage and extraordinary skill of nomadic Caucasian weavers at the height of their tradition.
The soumak technique, more time-consuming and technically demanding than simple flatweave or pile construction, produces a surface of unusual tactile richness and visual depth. Horse blankets and tent decorations of this quality were among the finest textiles produced by Caucasian tribal weavers — pieces made with pride and skill for practical use in daily nomadic life, and now treasured as works of art. Ideal as a wall hanging or displayed as textile art. 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' 4" x 4' 6"
Date of Manufacture: 4th Quarter of the 19th Century
Place of Origin: Caucasus (Shirvan)
Material: Wool pile on a wool foundation with vegetable dye
