Persian Varamin Area Shahsevan Ru-korsi


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I spotted this Persian Varamin Area Shahsevan Ru-korsi on www.Cloudband.com offered by one of the World's top experts in the field, my old friend John Wertime author of the landmark book Sumac Bags.

Trusted Resource List Rug & Carpet Dealers In The U.S. John Wertime.

Cloudband Arcade -John Wertime's Inventory Page

Persian Varamin Area Shahsevan kilim (ru-korsi)

Size:180 x 162 cm
Region: West Asia > Persia > Central Persia > Varamin
Type: Rugs and Carpets > Kilims, Flatweaves and Mixed Technique weavings > Kilim
Date/Period: 19th century : late
Materials; Wool
Structure:Slit tapestry, dovetailed tapestry, reciprocal-weft weave.
Condition:Complete and very good.
Full Description
This sturdily woven kilim of unusual dimensions was meant to cover a low squarish table (korsi) under which a charcoal brazier was placed and around which people sat in winter to keep warm, the table being covered by a textile (ru-korsi) of some sort and quilts to go over the body. The design, vivid colors and weave of this kilim indicate that it comes from a Shahsavan group that lived in the Varamin area to the southeast of Tehran in the late 19th century. It is rare and collectible and also by virtue of its sturdy construction, very floor worthy. SIZE: 5'11 x 5'4"

Persian Varamin Area Shahsevan Ru-korsi

Gold Field Floral Lattice Marasali Prayer Rug

I note the similarities between the bands of the Persian Varamin Area Shahsavan Ru-korsi and the main border of the Gold Field Floral Lattice Marasali Prayer Rug. I have been working on a theory that Marasali prayer rugs are actually from Masally.

Marasali rugs are attributed to a village south of Shemaka in the Shirvan region of the Caucasus. Kaffel, Caucasian Prayer Rugs page 34. I now have some doubts about that and am wondering if Marasali is actually Masally. Masally is a town in Azerbaijan bordering Lenkoran, and Neftechalinski. It is primarily Azeri ethnically and was a major rug producing area. It is south of Shemaka, north of Talish, east of Mogan against the Caspian.

Massalin is the dialect of Talish Ethnologue: Azerbaijan - Talish spoken in Masally and as such I suggest that there is a possibly that Marasali rugs are Masally rugs and should be seen as a subgroup of Talish. I will post more as I explore the idea. One stumbling block is that as my friend Ralph Kaffel reminds me that structurally Marasali rugs are firmly in the Shirvan group. (Telephone call with Ralph Kaffel 8/29/00)

I am struck by the fact that many of the Shahsevan were of Talish origin and that this similarity of design may be more than happenstance. At least this will give me a little to ponder over these long winter nights.

I wrote the following in regards to a Talish rug and it seems pertinient to this discussion. If we can trace the roots of Moghan Shahsevan to the Talysh then it is not a far jump to the Veramin Shahsevan as well.

In the 15th century the Talish occupied the Moghan Steppe as well as the Southeast Caspian shore. Between 1590 and 1595 the Talish joined the great Afshar revolt against Shah Abbas. By 1595 Abbas crushed the revolt and broke up the Afshar. It was at this point that he forced many Afshar to Khorasan, Urumiya, and Mughan. Abbas then gathered up many clans of the rebel tribes and created the Shahsavan. Many of the Talish including the Talish of the Moghan Steppe were drawn into this new Shahsavan confederation. I believe that many of the Shahsavan of the Moghan are descended from those Talish. The Gordon Meta Hane

For another Marasali with this border please see Antique Marasali Prayer Rug.

For Further Reading:

Persian Rugs and Carpet

Turkish Rugs

Turkmen Rugs

JBOC's Notes on the Bible

Persian Carpet Guide

Caucasian Rugs

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.