PEREPEDIL PRAYER RUG 137 x 96 cm (4ft. 6in. x 3ft. 2in.) Caucasus, first half 19th century Condition: good, low pile, very few small repairs Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool.

The origins of this design are disputed with one school of thought considering that the ram's horn motifs have an ancient symbolic resonance, with the other school relating the designs to motifs found on Azerbaijan embroideries and classical carpets. There are a number of white ground Perepedil rugs with paired medallions surrounded by these powerful horned motifs all of which appear to be from early 19th century prior to the introduction of mass weaving in the Caucasus by the Russians in the late 19th century. This example is one of the few single niche prayers within the group and is characterised by the unusual rendition of the classic wine glass and calyx leaf border. The rug has two idiosyncratic qualities that set it part: the first is the pinched lower border where the lower border does not match perfectly the ascending vertical guard borders, and the way that the top of the prayer niche is cut off by the upper border.