Stripwoven and Embroidered Rug, Uzbekistan

Forty-five quartered discs, and not one of them willing to sit still.

This stripwoven and embroidered rug comes from Uzbekistan, 20th century, in wool embroidery on wool kilim. Across Central Asia, narrow strips from small looms were often sewn together into larger cloths, and then embroidered. Five columns and nine rows of discs march down a brick-red ground, each split into four parts in black and ivory or red and green. Small curling hooks fill every quarter. Blue-gray and red diamonds sit between them, and scrolling waves run along the border. Long, pale fringe hangs at both ends. Five feet wide and just over ten long.

Geometry seldom has this much fun.