Indian Sarough Mir | 302 x 217 cm | Nr. Z-956

Indian Sarough Mir

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	India
Dimensions	302 cm x 217 cm (= 6.55 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool
knots	160.000
Condition	pre-owned, but in very good condition (cleaned & restored)
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

This rug comes from Sarough (also written Sarouk, Saruk or Sarogh). Sarough is one of Iran's best-known rug-knotting regions. Situated in the west Persian province of Aarak, it takes in the provenances Arak, Djozan, Ghiasabad, Mahal, Malayer, Mohajeran, Sultanabad and Wiss. In Sarough, Persian patterns of every kind are knotted, in some cases to the customer's own specifications. Typical of this type of rug is the very good wool quality of the pile, as the new wool comes from the Persian highlands. The foundation – warp and weft – is, however, usually cotton. In old and antique rugs you will often find a blue weft thread. The knotting is very fine and the pile relatively high.

Rugs like this one are known as Sarough Mir. Framed by a border, the all-over patterned field is adorned with the so-called Mir-i-Boteh pattern. The Mir-i-Boteh pattern consists of a curved almond motif that stands upright and forms a repeating row. Rendered naturalistically or abstractly, it is instantly recognisable by its bent tip. The shape has often been described as a flame – linked to the fire cult of the Parsees, followers of Zarathustra's teachings – or as a bent palm leaf. It is considered likely that the pattern was inspired by cypress trees. In Europe, the almond-shaped element of the pattern is known as the paisley pattern.

The pattern of this rug is inspired by the designs of classic Indian Sarough Mir rugs. This particular rug, however, was knotted in India.

Exactly when rug production in India began is unknown. The first rugs in India were probably made during the cultural flowering of the Mughal dynasty in the middle of the 16th century. In the middle of the 19th century, with the decline of the Mughal dynasty, Indian rug production fell into crisis. European companies whose only aim was export to the West took the place of the traditional court manufactories. Very similar rugs were produced in different towns, and standardisation set in. Today, the designs of hand-knotted Indian rugs can scarcely be attributed to individual regions. Instead, the workshops have come to specialise in rendering European and traditional Iranian designs adapted to Western taste. In terms of quality, rugs from India benefit from the long tradition of craftsmanship and the high quality of Indian materials.

Material

The pile of this Indian Sarough Mir 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 content of the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is thus 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 Indian Sarough Mir are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly suitable for a hard-wearing foundation weave.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Indian Sarough Mir. It has had owners before you who valued it and lived with it. There are a few smaller tear-like scars, but these in no way affect how hard-wearing it is. It was knotted around 31. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.