Old Yazd | 297 x 208 cm | Nr. Z-671

Floral old Yazd, light red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	297 cm x 208 cm (= 6.18 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	200.000
Pile height	8mm
Year of manufacture	1960
Colour	Light red, dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Yazd (also spelled Yasd) lies in central Iran on the southern edge of the Dasht-e Kavir, the Great Salt Desert, and is the capital of the province of the same name in the south-east of the country. Yazd is one of Iran's oldest cities. The oasis city, built largely from mud brick, has existed since the third millennium BC. Its unique architecture has earned it a place on the World Heritage list. Around 500,000 people live here today.

Originally, Yazd rugs had a bluish pattern, which gradually faded as production grew. Because demand was so strong, the local workshops leaned more and more on the patterns and colours of Kerman rugs, so that Yazd and Kerman rugs can be hard to tell apart today. Matters are complicated further by the fact that rugs with Keshan patterns were also made in Yazd. This old Yazd is around 60 years old and a real collector's piece.

Pattern

The decorated surround (border) forms a beautiful contrast to the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

The lavish floral motifs of this Yazd are elegant and richly varied. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

At the middle of this Yazd's central field lies the symmetrical centrepiece, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, creating the impression that the medallion is floating on the field.

The background of this Yazd is light red. The border is worked in dark blue and beige. In the light blue centre, light red and cream white are combined.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Yazd. It has had owners before you who treasured and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1960. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The pile is worn in places. Some of the edges are damaged. The fringes could do with a repair. We have not restored this Yazd because we think it has a special presence just as it is. If that is what you would like, we will of course happily restore the rug for you. Either way, this Yazd will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this Yazd 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 qualities: thanks to the wool's natural lanolin content, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Yazd are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation weave.