Antique Shirvan Prayer rug, Shirvan Region, Azerbaijan. early 19th century, published Ralph Kaffel's Caucasian Prayer Rugs, plate 80. 117x132 cm

This piece gives us an insight into the beauty of early Caucasian prayer rugs, which are so rarely found today. Although extensively damaged, the rug still hints at its former glory. The drawing is very bold and spacious; the stylized tulips are beautifully executed and the border is drawn with the refinement and selection of dyes seen only in older pieces. The projecting hooked horizontal lines that decorate the field are uncommon. A Genje prayer rug published in Franses, An Introduction to the World of Rugs (plate 17) has similar lines radiating from the prayer arch. The main border of interlocking birds is sometimes referred to as the 'eagle's beak' design; later versions of this design are much more angular and geometric. The field has lost much colour due to extreme wear, but the upper part and the main border still retain much of their original, deeply saturated hues.