679. an emminant old Afshar tribal rug

679. Provenance: Afshar tribe, Kerman Province, southern Persia

Size: 192 x 140 cm

Age: Circa 1940

Condition: Good, with just minor adhesive marks on the back.

Notes: The Afshar were Central Asian Turkic nomads, part of the ancient Oghuz Turkmen horde who eventually populated areas of eastern Anatolia and, since the 16th century, have been present in Azerbaijan (northwest Iran). In more recent history, Afshar tribes have come to inhabit areas of northeast Iran (Khorasan) and northwest Afghanistan, and are perhaps most importantly in terms of rug-weaving, the Kerman region of southern Iran. Here they form part of the tribal melee of the area (alongside such notable tribal groups as the Qashq'ai and the Khamseh Confederacies), and consequently it is sometimes difficult to ascribe particular rugs to specific tribes with absolute certainty. The Afshar also have perhaps the broadest range of designs of any Persian tribals. This piece is however pretty typical of its type, with saturated primary colours (red, white, blue).