Soumak rug (woven wool on wool warp and weft),... Lot 199

Soumak rug (woven wool on wool warp and weft), Southeast Caucasus, circa 1950-1980. The rug features a series of four interconnected navy blue and red cruciform medallions on an ivory background, decorated with small geometric animal and bird motifs. Three narrow geometric borders encircle the composition. 306 x 105 cm Soumak is said to derive from the name of the ancient capital of the Khanate of Chirvan: Shemakha. However, this carpet is more likely to have originated in the Kuba or Dagestan region. Carpets from the surrounding regions would have been sold in the Shemakha bazaar. The name may also derive from the red color, often dominant in Soumak, obtained from the berries of the Soumak shrub. The Soumak technique differs from that of other kilims: in soumak weaving, colored weft alternates between plain warp threads and additional weft threads wrapped around the warp threads, forming the decoration and a stronger, embroidered weave.