Plate 65. Chinese Rug of the Keen-Lung Period
The small Central Asiatic group is not only unlike other groups, but may naturally be divided into three sub-groups, which are also distinct from one another and contain well-defined classes, viz.:
(a) Afghan, Royal Bokhara, Princess Bokhara, Tekke, Khiva, Yomud, and Beshire.
(b) Samarkand, Kashgar, and Yarkand.
(c) Beluchistan.
In the first sub-group the prevailing colours are dark reds and browns with minor quantities of blue, green, and ivory. The Afghans are almost always of large size, and may be recognised at once by the broad web of the ends and the large octagonal shaped figures placed in contact in perpendicular rows. The Royal Bokharas are smaller, the end webs are not so wide, the octagons are never in contact and are separated diagonally by diamond-shaped figures. The Princess Bokharas and many Tekkes have the Katchli pattern. The Yomuds resemble the other classes of this sub-group in colour; but in the fields, diamond designs have entirely replaced the octagons.
The rugs of sub-group “b” almost always have cotton warp; whereas the rugs of sub-groups “a” and “c” invariably have woollen or goat’s hair warp.
The Samarkands are somewhat similar in colours and patterns to Chinese rugs, but may be distinguished by the fact that they almost invariably have three border stripes, whereas the Chinese usually have only one or two. The Kashgar and Yarkand also show Chinese influence.
The Beluchistans with brown, blue, green, and claret colours may be identified at once by their long embroidered webs at each end.