Antique Caucasian Shirvan Rug, Country of Origin: Caucasian, Circa date: 1900 – Shirvan is located on the southern portion of the Caucasus Mountain range. The area is known for its beautiful area rugs and weavers who excelled in using a limited range of plant materials for dyes. Despite the limitations of this hostile environment, they managed to produce some of the best rugs in the world. Their antique rugs tend to have an elemental simplicity that brings a feeling of the natural world to the indoor space.
This beautiful piece was created around the turn of the 20th century and is small enough to be used as an accent rug or as part of a layered rug look. The light brown background of the rug and delicate color palette gives it a soft look that would make a beautiful addition to a nature-inspired room design.
Before the completion of the Transcaucasian Railway in the 1880’s, these beautiful creations were virtually unknown outside of the region. When the market opened up, the world fell in love with antique Caucasian rugs, and local weavers struggled to keep up with global demand. This changed many aspects of rugs produced in villages, like Shirvan. The carpets became more symmetrical and lost much of their individuality that existed before this time.
The railway caused the commercialization of what was once a cottage craft. One of the features that stands out about this rug is that you can still see evidence of individual expression and the piece. The weaver tucked symbols into the background in a way that seems to be at their whim. This gives the rug and individuality that, at the time of its creation, had been lost to the commercialization of what was once a cottage industry.
Antique Caucasian Shirvan rugs are beautiful and an excellent addition to any collection. This one stands out because it still retains evidence that it was created as a piece of individual art, rather than as part of commercial production. This is a beautiful piece that will add an earthy feel to your room décor and create a connection to a people living a traditional life close to the land.
