Khotan
368 x 171 cm (12' 1" x 5' 7")
East Turkestan, ca. 1800
Condition: very good according to age, upper end slightly incomplete, scattered low pile, scattered old repairs, selvages rebound
Warp: cotton, weft: wool, pile: wool

The field design of this carpet is quite rare. There is a number of surviving rugs of mostly smaller scale that have rosettes in different colours in diagonal rows. We also have the three-medallion group, associated by Bidder with Buddhist traditions, in which large medallions dominate the field. In this carpet the two traditions have been carefully combined. Even though the medallions are smaller than in rugs from the three-medallion group, they are nevertheless quite distinct and of a type appearing on two rugs attributed by Bidder to Aksu (Bidder, Teppiche aus Ost-Turkestan, 38a, 38b). In order to integrate the medallions into the all-over design, the weaver placed the three blue medallions in the rows of blue rosettes. To mask the larger size of the medallions, the weaver cleverly inserted vegetal forms, of a shape we know from other rugs from East Turkestan. Surprisingly, the leaves by the upper medallion join up to form something resembling a prayer arch.
The warm red field is surrounded by a system of narrow borders in a classical East Turkestan manner, excepting the red diamonds on a yellow ground which are relatively rare. A charming variation appears on the left upper side where in the dark blue border the single flower design is replaced by three angled flowers, a motif often used in the borders of rugs from the western part of the Taklamakan desert.