Old Kazak | 170 x 140 cm | Nr. 20436

Geometric old Kazak, dark red with border and compartment pattern

Origin	Russia
Dimensions	170 cm x 140 cm (= 2.38 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: wool
knots per m²2	60.000
Pile height	7mm
Year of manufacture	1920
Colour	Dark red, beige
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Kazak (also spelled Kasak) rugs belong to the group of Caucasian rugs. Rugs have been made in the Caucasus since the end of the 18th century. Their hallmark is abstract geometric tribal patterns in primary colours. The geometric and, more rarely, floral motifs are typically rendered in intense, high-contrast colours. In the 19th century a considerable share of these rugs, produced mainly in villages, was exported to the West under Russian control. This old Kazak is around 100 years old and a real collector's piece.

Pattern

The so-called compartment pattern of this Kazak brings to mind a lushly planted garden with geometrically ordered, individually framed beds. This layout is so characteristic that compartment-pattern rugs are also known as garden rugs in German. The individual panels of this Kazak's pattern each show different motifs, yet follow a strictly symmetrical, rectangular arrangement.

There is a reason for this: large parts of Persia and many other regions of the Middle and Near East are desert- or steppe-like arid areas, where so-called irrigation horticulture is widely practised. Water is channelled to the beds through small irrigation canals. The panel pattern renders this irrigation system in heavily simplified form. Because of the dryness in these regions, blooming and verdant gardens are also something quite special. The panel pattern therefore probably goes back to the wish to bring a little garden – and with it a small paradise – into the home. In the Koran the term garden, as the earthly counterpart to paradise – a word of Old Persian origin, incidentally – appears very frequently.

The background of this Kazak is dark red. The border is worked in beige, blue-grey and dark red.

Condition

This Kazak has a story behind it. It was hand-knotted around 1920. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. Sadly, about half of the rug is missing. The pile of what remains has grown a little thinner over the years. The edges are damaged in places and could do with a repair. We have not restored this Kazak because we feel it has a special charm exactly as it is. If you would prefer otherwise, we will of course gladly restore the rug for you. Either way, this Kazak will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this Kazak 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 number of impressive qualities: thanks to the natural lanolin in 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 dampens sound. The foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Kazak is made of new wool.