Antique Tribal Turkish Konya Rug, Turkey, Late 19th Century – A field of vibrant cranberry red forms a backdrop for a central medallion in shimmering bands of blues ranging from light blue gray to dark slate blue. Pairs of brightly colored eight-pointed stars, flowers and animal figures dance around a tree of life in the center of the medallion. The saw-tooth serrated edges of the medallion complement the rendering of the geometric figures in the field and within the medallion. Stars, rosettes and stylized human figures arranged in symmetrical pairs frame the medallion. The masterful use of bright colors of dark blue, goldenrod, peach and coffee brown make these geometric figures stand out from the red field. Coral hues define the centers of the motifs and the end points of the stars.
The colors are echoed in the geometric border. The multi-colored zigzags along the ends symbolize running water, a common border motif on Anatolian carpets. The main border features alternating colors of red, dark slate blue, coffee brown and mustard in three-tiered steps highlighted by white squares. Dark coral defines the centers of the squares and hooks.