SOUTH CAUCASUS, CIRCA 1870

This Sewan Kazak rug represents another well-defined group from the south-west Caucasus. The drawing of the central medallion appears to fall into three different design shapes that include larger wings and arrowheads, square or squared-octagonal ends or straight sides with an arrowhead finish. Ours falls into the first of these which is often referred to as the 'Shield' or 'Maltese Cross', (Ian Bennett, Oriental Rugs, Volume 1 Caucasian, Austria, 1981). A similarly imposing Sewan rug centred with a large Maltese cross, with the same serrated stepped triangle formation border, sold at Sotheby's New York, 31 January, 2014, lot 32.