SOUTH EAST PERSIA, CIRCA 1890

The richness of colour, the quality of the lanolin-rich wool and the fine knot count of the present rug, are all indicative characteristics of the Kashkuli, who were a sub-tribe of the larger, semi-nomadic Qashqai confederacy in the Fars province (James Opie, Tribal Rugs of Southern Persia, Portland, 1981, p.16). The overall field pattern of polychrome stripes or “canes” which here are arranged vertically, but can be seen in zig-zag formations, were part of the design vocabulary of the Kashkuli, along with finely drawn repeating botehs, herati pattern or directional millefleurs designs. All of these patterns required highly skilled weavers in order to effectively execute these intricate motifs.