Lot 162

SHIRVAN RUG

One of the classic designs of the region, with multi-meaning symbolism in the form of rosettes, magic eyes, ram's horns, stars, etc., all surrounded by a very classic Caucasian border. This is filled with motifs called "wine cup" and "oak leaves" on a white background - while the diagonally placed "oak leaves" are also considered a stylization of the jagged Caucasian mountains, the so-called "wine cup" is probably a highly geometrized depiction of a tulip. The tulips grow out of smaller triangles, which are considered "good luck charms." The three dominant medallions with numerous "hooks" primarily represent ram's horns, a popular symbol of fertility and masculinity, while the rhombuses in the center of the medallions are filled with many magic eyes, which are supposed to protect against misfortune, envy, and bad luck. A very successful depiction of eight stars shows another popular symbol of Caucasian carpets, and on our specimen, each pair of stars is divided by a spreading tree of life, better known from Turkmen carpets. In the field, we can also detect three-color hexagons, divided into four segments, as well as distinctive three-color shapes resembling a blossoming flower - these elements are poetically nicknamed "the wheel of fortune" and are meant to symbolize the fickleness of luck.