Kuba Shahnazarli carpet in a dark bue ground


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Kuba Shahnazarli rug

Design (assembled by Vugar Dadashov):
-The midnight blue center field shows three vertically aligned medallions with appendages at the top and bottom (bashlyk or gubba (dome)).
-The top gubba (serrated/saw-edged red medallion) contains two tree of life motifs, flanked by "S"like ornaments.
-The bottom gubba contains a pair of bird motifs which can be seen in early Turkish rugs. See the Marby rug. This "birds" motif is rather deformed in the late 19th-early 20th century examples.
-Four white snow flake palmettes (grape leaves) are arranged around each medallion.
-Samovars (a metal urn, often of brass, with a spigot near its base, widely used in Russian Empire to boil water for tea), pitchers, combs, octagons and squares with stylized Memling Gul motifs, "eternal knot" rosettes, animal (horse) and birds figures complete the ornamentation of the central field.
-The main border on a gold yellow ground carries a burug motif. Two minor borders flank the main border on each side. The minor borders contain different elements such as stylized swastikas, besides the main star motif.

Code: KUSHAH28

Size: 158x206cm

Size (ft): 5'2"x6'9"

Area: 3.25 m²

Density: 170 000 knots per square meter, totally ~550 000 knots

Colors: red, medium blue, midnight blue, yellow, green (different shades), aubergine, maroon, ivory, dark brown, light brown.

Dyes: madder, weld (Reseda Luteola), onion skins, indigo, pomegranate skins, walnut husks, natural dark brown sheep wool, natural ivory sheep wool, natural medium brown sheep wool.

Materials: Handcarded and handspun wool for pile, ivory wool warps and ivory wool wefts (two shots). 1cm of flatwoven medium blue kilim ends at both sides. - wool on wool, blue selvedges

Knots: Gördes (Turkish, symmetrical)

Pile height: 0.5cm

Ends: five rows of decorative knotted meshwork

Inscriptions: 1439 (weaving date), 2 tamgas (tribal seal) of Afshar tribe