550. An ennobling antique Qashqa'i tribal rug

550. Provenance: Qashqa'i Confederacy of tribes, Fars Province, Persia

Age: Circa 1870

Size: 254 x 160 cm

Condition: Overall low pile and wear, with some areas of weakness. The photo was taken in dappled light - this is why some areas appear lighter.

Notes: Classic Qashqa'i weaving, with the heraldic Qashqa'i diamond medallion in the centre, repeated in an abbreviated form in the four corners. The main diamond is, more unusually, flanked by two connected cruciform star shapes. The typical 'tree' main border is flanked by minor borders featuring a kind of running ram-head motif. A wealth of tribal motifs and flowerheads fill the remaining field. Stunning, and woven in only naturally-dyed wool