Persian Sirjan Afshar Rug

Rug is rectangular and the sides are straight.The picture is off a little.

5 by 6 foot Sirjan Afshari Rug

This is an Afshar rug from Sirjan. Sirjan is the main collection point for the large Afshar production area between Shiraz and Kerman. This rug is thick, durable, and uses the traditional pattern of the Sirjan area. This size in an almost square format is traditional with this type of Afshar tribal rug.

The Afshar were a principle tribe of the Oghuz and were an important Kizil Bash tribe during the Safavid dynasty. Nadir Khan Afshari ruled Persia but his reign was so problem filled that his men killed him and the political power of the Afshar tribe was split up.

Structure: Asymmetrical knot open left. 10 knots per horizontal inch and 7 knots per vertical inch. 70 per square inch (1085 per square decimeter)

Yarn Spin: Z.

Warp: Cotton, white.

Weft: Cotton 1st & 3rd shot rigid, 2nd shot sinuous cotton.

Pile: 2 Wool singles.

Ends: warp fringe.

Selvages: overcast with red wool.

Further Notes: Thick meaty handle, very substantial new rug. No holes, tears, rips or low spots. Very long pile.

Afshar Village Rug

P. R, J, Ford shows a very similar rug in plate 559 of his book Oriental Carpet Design.