Old Buchara | 189 x 64 cm | Nr. Z-907

All-over patterned old Buchara runner, light red with border and diamonds

Origin	Pakistan
Dimensions	189 cm x 64 cm (= 1.21 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	560.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1980
Colour	Light red, dark red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

 

Origin

This wonderful rug with its classic Buchara pattern was knotted in Pakistan. Buchara (sometimes also spelled Bochara) is an oasis city in Uzbekistan that lies on the former Silk Road. Although no rugs were ever knotted in Buchara itself, the city gave its name to many Oriental rugs, because they were traditionally exported to the West from Buchara. The rugs themselves, though, were traditionally knotted by various Turkmen tribes, above all in the Caucasus, Persia and Afghanistan.

Because Buchara rugs are among the finest and best-loved Central Asian rugs, their patterns have also inspired weavers in Pakistan. That is how this rug, with its typical Uzbek Buchara pattern, came to be knotted in Pakistan. This old Buchara is around 40 years old and a real collector's piece.

 

Pattern

The edge of the rug is graced by a surround (border). The border forms a wonderful contrast to the centre.

In the pattern of this Bukhara it is above all the diamonds that catch the eye. A diamond is a rhombus standing on one of its points, and in an Oriental rug its four equal sides can be serrated, stepped or trimmed with hooks. The diamond is one of the oldest basic forms in the Oriental rug. In the Islamic world it carries a symbolic meaning: it stands for the immortality of the soul. That is why you will so often find it used as a filler motif.

The repeating elements of this Buchara rug have no particular centre. The recurring rapport pattern feels calming, yet never dull. Rugs with a rapport pattern are also described as all-over patterned.

The background of this Buchara is light red. The border is worked in light red, dark red and beige.

 

Condition

This Buchara has a history. It was hand-knotted around 1980. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good condition. 

 

Material

The pile of this Buchara 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 whole range of impressive qualities: thanks to the natural lanolin content of the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also provides excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and absorbs sound. The weft and warp threads of this Buchara are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly suitable for a hard-wearing foundation.