Sarough Mir | 393 x 297 cm | Nr. Z-1317

Sarough Mir, beige with border and all-over pattern (finely drawn)

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	393 cm x 297 cm (= 11.67 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	200.000
Pile height	10mm
Year of manufacture	2000
Colour	Beige, multicoloured
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.

Pattern

The ornate border forms a wonderful contrast with the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

This Sarough Mir has a great deal of character. The labyrinth-like background is hypnotic and incredibly detailed. The repeating elements in the central field of this Sarough Mir rug have no specific centre (a so-called repeat pattern). The recurring pattern feels calming, yet never dull. Rugs with a repeat pattern are also described as all-over patterned.

The ground of this Sarough Mir is beige. The border is worked in beige, rust red and blue-grey.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Sarough Mir. It had owners before you who treasured and used it. It was hand-knotted around 2000. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The edges are damaged in places. The rug has a few small stains. We have not restored this Sarough Mir because we feel it has a special charm exactly as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Sarough Mir will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this 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 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 Sarough Mir are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.