Kazak | 300 x 198 cm | Nr. Z-804

Geometric Kazak, light red with border, diamonds and paisley

Origin	Pakistan
Dimensions	300 cm x 198 cm (= 5.94 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	160.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	2021
Colour	Light red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Kazak rugs (also spelled Kasak) 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. Typically, the geometric and, more rarely, floral motifs are rendered in intense, high-contrast colours. In the 19th century, a considerable share of these largely village-made rugs was exported to the West under Russian control.

This Kazak rug was hand-knotted in Pakistan following a traditional method, using hand-spun wool and natural dyes.

Pattern

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

The abstract, geometric composition is what gives this Kazak its understated elegance. The pattern flatters the design of a room and never draws attention away from the furniture, the decoration or the architectural features. It settles beautifully into any setting and complements the furnishings of a room in a subtle way.

In the pattern of this Kazak 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, outlined or set 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 it appears so often as a filler motif.

The pattern of this Kazak is adorned with magnificent paisley motifs. The paisley motif depicts a leaf with a tapering, curved tip, rather like a large comma, and recalls the fish-bladder ornament of Gothic art. Its origins lie with the Chaldeans, who evidently used the motif to depict the shoot of the date palm that was so vital to their survival. The motif spread as far as the Celts, but was displaced there once again by Greek and Roman ornament. Rug patterns containing paisley ornaments are also known as boteh patterns, in Persian mir-e-butha or mir-i-bota.

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

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 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 provides excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Kazak are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.