EAST CAUCASUS, DATED AH 1260/1844-5 AD

The archaic design of ascending columns of blossoms and palmettes clearly derives from the 'Dragon and Palmette' group of classical Caucasian carpets woven in the 17th century which are discussed by Serare Yetkin, Early Caucasian Carpets in Turkey, Vol.II, London, 1978, pls.137-8 and 187. Comparable examples in terms of age and design were sold at Christie's London, 16 April 2007, lot 15 and 25 October 2008, lot 304. Another related soumac sold at Sotheby's, London, 12 October 2005, lot 11. The design is found in both flatwoven soumacs and pile carpets. A pile rug with this design is illustrated in E.Heinrich Kircheim et al., Orient Stars, a Carpet Collection, Stuttgart and London, 1933, p.125, no.60. A looser interpretation of both the field and border design can be found in a Dagestan soumac woven carpet illustrated by Ulrich Schurmann, Caucasian Rugs, Braunschweig, 1961, pp.310-11, no.120. The present soumac bears a date in the upper half of the field although this is not completely legible but most likely reads AH 1260/1844-5 AD.