Qashqai Kilim
Southwest Persia, 19th century
315 x 157 cm (10' 4" x 5' 2")
Condition: very good, two small holes, few signs of use
Warp: wool, weft: wool

Southwest Persian kilims show mainly open fields or all-over designs, but to a lesser extent they come in banded versions as well. Colours and designs within the bands distinguish them easily from their Caucasian and northwest Persian counterparts.

Among the striped kilim we find two subgroups. One has just bands from selvedge to selvedge; the other is framed by borders. These are almost universally reciprocal, often in dark brown or blue against white. These are sometimes accompanied by additional zigzag lines. It has been argued that this is dictated by the slit kilim technique, which wouldn't allow long horizontal lines. It is charming to see how these zigzag lines seem to playfully interfere with the bands in the field, causing them to advance or withdraw. This group has usually elaborate elems of several colours with further zigzag motifs.

Remarkably, this piece shows several different motifs in the bands. They follow a perfect rhythm and the colour changes are carefully placed. Especially interesting are the multicoloured dominant zigzag fields in an 'M' shape. In other examples of this group these are stepped triangles, which are less bold than in this piece.

Often the stepped triangle bands alternate in direction, one from left to right, the next from right to left. In our piece all run to one side. This makes a horizontal viewpoint quite pleasing as it feels energetic and uplifting. As these kilim have been used as tent dividers or to cover up storage sacks within a home a horizontal viewpoint might have been intended by the weaver.