Antique Persian Kurdish Runner Rug, Origin: Persia, Circa: Early 20th Century – Tribal weavings are as varied as the groups who make them. The Kurdish population spans a number of geographic and political regions in the Middle East, and their weavings reflect their diverse cultural affiliations. Yet antique Persian Kurdish rug weavings are easily identifiable by their bold use of color and uniquely defined designs. In this rug, a dark chocolate color contrasts with soft taupe in a traditional saw-tooth pattern that repeats vertically along the entire 7-foot length of the runner.
The simple field on this antique Persian rug is countered by a border of repeating stylized s-hook motifs in muted dark salmon and dark brown colors that pleasantly contrast with one another. Embroidery with white thread outlines the hooks and defines the boundaries of the border. An unadorned border guard is used on one end. The other end sports a white line in a running stitch across the width. The weaver modifies the motif in each corner to make the 90 degree turn. The width of the border narrows slightly on both sides near one end, a slight asymmetry in an otherwise symmetrical work.
