4.9 x 6.2 Antique Karaja Rug, Northwest Persia, Circa 1920

Woven in the Heriz district in northwest Persia’s Azerbaijan province, this rug has the single knotted construction which identifies it as having been woven in the village of Karaja. Karaja is the only village in that region to use a single knotted construction, where both halves of an individual knot are adjacent on a flat plane. All the other Heriz district villages use a double knot, where one half of the knot is over, or diagonally offset from (called an alternate depressed warp), the other half of the knot. A double knot produces a denser, heavier textile, whereas a single knot tends to create a lighter and more pliable textile.

Karaja rugs are famous for their triple medallion format. This piece, with a single medallion on a terra cotta color field and framed by well drawn sky blue corner spandrels, is unusual. The wide, navy blue border frames the field well.

Acquired directly from a Virginia family collection.