Lot 72

ERSARI RUG

A hand-knotted wool rug on a woolen warp of goat's hair, an authentic creation of the Turkmen Ersari tribal group, both in its design and its stunning - and highly appealing - colour palette. It is all-natural, with the different colours featuring the so-called abrash, a graceful and natural alternation of different shades mixed by nomads from various dye batches of steppe plants, foliage and roots. The dominant element of the tribal geometric design is the distinctive octagons, known today mainly as 'elephant tracks' (fil pai) and also called 'göl' (rosettes). They represent the specific trees of life, presented on our specimen in three vertical rows of seven motifs each, and a nice secondary element are totemic polygons with so-called protective hook motifs, which give way at the bottom and top to distinct ram's horns, a symbol of virility and fertility. The ram's horns are also very evident in the main border of the carpet, which is finished with wide kelim borders, marking membership of a particular clan. Professionally cleaned on both sides.