Persian Antique Qashgai Rug

Birds everywhere, three white medallions, and not one line that behaves like a ruler.

This antique Qashgai rug comes from Persia (present day Iran), Middle East, late 19th century, in wool. The Qashgai were nomadic pastoral tribes who wove rugs on horizontal looms for their own use and for trade, spinning their wool and carrying their designs in memory from camp to camp. Three ivory diamonds stack down a deep navy field crowded with birds, stars and small plant forms. A red zigzag edges the field, inside wide borders of hooked and boxed ornament. Sixty-nine inches by sixty.

It was probably not designed by committee, and you can tell.