Afshari | 120 x 84 cm | Nr. Z-1570

Geometric Afshari, light red with border

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	120 cm x 84 cm (= 1.01 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft: cotton Warp: goat wool
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	7mm
Year of manufacture	1965
Colour	Light red, Light blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

The Afshar (also written Afschar) or Afshars were an important Oghuz tribe. The "i" in the name Afshari corresponds to our preposition "of". Afshari therefore means rug of the Afshars. Originally the Persian Afshars lived in the north-west of Iran, on the Afghan border. Part of the tribe was forcibly resettled to the south-east of Iran, near the city of Kerman, which lies on the Silk Road. Here rug knotting became an important source of income for the Afshars. Since the resettlement the Afshars have also been known for their distinctive hand-knotted Afshar rugs. Some of the Afshars' rugs are also traded as Sirdjan rugs. The rugs have red and blue tones and mostly geometric patterns. The most widespread pattern has a field in the centre containing one or more square rosettes. It is thought that the central field represents a stretched animal hide.

Pattern

The ornate border forms a wonderful contrast with the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

The abstract, geometric composition is what gives this Afshari its understated elegance. The pattern flatters the design of the room without stealing attention from the furniture, the décor or the architectural details. It creates a pleasant atmosphere without dominating the style of the room.

The background of this Afshari is light red. The border is worked in light red, cream white and light blue.

Condition

You aren't the first to take a liking to this Afshari. It had owners before you who valued it and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1965. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The pile is worn in places. The edges are heavily worn in some spots. The fringes could do with a repair. We haven't restored this Afshari because we feel it has a special presence just as it is. If that's what you'd like, we'll of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Afshari will bring you joy for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this Afshari was hand-knotted from high-quality new wool. New wool is obtained by gently shearing sheep. New wool is a renewable, natural raw material with a range of impressive properties: thanks to the wool's natural grease content, the surface repels droplets of water and is naturally protected against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, has a regulating effect on the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft threads of this Afshari are made of cotton. Goat wool was used for the warp threads.