Oriental Rugs, Antique and Modern

by W. A. Hawley

Of the several border stripes, the central is generally as wide as the remainder and not altogether dissimilar to that of the Ladiks. Very frequently it consists of a row of palmettes between which are conventionalised leaves and flowers on slender stems; but now and then the palmettes are replaced by eight-pointed stars or other geometric figures, and the intervening spaces filled with corresponding designs. The secondary stripes are of a pronounced Caucasian type; and almost invariably in a smaller tertiary stripe is represented a waving line or the reciprocal sawtooth.

The prayer rugs are equally characteristic. In typical examples the lines defining the mihrab descend from the niche to meet the sides of the narrow field at an angle of forty-five degrees, and are then deflected towards its centre, to return again to its sides. The resulting drawing shows two equilateral triangles on each side of the field at the base of the mihrab, which in conjunction with the upper sides of the triangles has the appearance of an incomplete diamond. This effect, moreover, is frequently accentuated by a perpendicular row of diamonds extending from just below the niche to the base of the field. The sides of mihrab, field, and central designs are, as a rule, fringed with small geometric or conventionalised floral forms; and in the spacious spandrel are more realistic floral designs arranged on a trellis-like sub-pattern.

This individuality of pattern is accompanied by a less marked yet noticeable individuality of colour scheme. As is the case with many Bergamos, the principal tone is a dark red, which generally appears in the central field, and is also used almost without exception in the broad end webs, the side selvages, and the threads of weft. Ivory white for the spandrel, some yellow and green for the borders, are common colours; but the one that rarely appears in any appreciable quantity in other rugs is a characteristic tone of lavender or mauve, which is present in almost every old Melez. Not always are these tones pleasing, as many of the rugs have been poorly dyed; but there are other pieces, now rapidly growing scarce, of which the colours are exceedingly rich and harmonious.

Type Characteristics. Colours, principally red, with minor quantities of blue, yellow, white, and some mauve. Knot, Ghiordes. Knots to inch horizontally five to eight; perpendicularly, six to eleven. A half knot, as it appears at back, is as long as wide or slightly longer. The rows of knots are not closely pressed down, yet the warp does not show at back. Warp, wool; each of the two threads encircled by a knot is equally prominent at back. Weft, wool of small diameter, dyed blue or red. A thread of weft generally crosses four times between every two rows of knots. Pile, wool, of medium length and sometimes short. Border, wide, from three to seven stripes. Sides, a selvage of two to four cords, usually coloured red. Lower end, a red web and loose warp fringe. Upper end, a red web, a braided selvage, and loose warp fringe. Texture, moderately loose. Weave at back is of slightly coarse grain. Usual length, four and one half to six feet. Usual width, three fifths to three quarters length.

Isbarta.—In the town of Isbarta in the southern part of the province of Konieh are woven rugs which are sometimes known to the trade as “Spartas.” Like many other pieces made to meet the Western demand, they lack spontaneous individuality, but are often of excellent quality and coloured in delicate tones, arranged harmoniously.

Rhodian.—Even at a very early period the people of the islands bordering the southwestern coast of Asia Minor produced textile fabrics that rivalled many of the best products of the mainland. None of them were more beautiful or more interesting than those which came from the Island of Rhodes, where were blended the vigorous Grecian and the more subtle Oriental arts. Here was the inspiration of the sea, cloudless skies, luxuriant vegetation. Here was felt the deep influence of the Mohammedan and Christian religions, as well as an early pagan mythology; and there is little doubt that the cathedral walls and picturesque church of the valiant knights of St. John made an impression on the weavers. It is not surprising, therefore, that the fabrics should be of deep, rich colour full of suggestion, and that the drawing of the long central panels should remind one of cathedral windows.

Of the many beautiful rugs formerly woven in Rhodes only a few now remain, and these are generally in the hands of collectors. Some are odjaliks, some namazliks, some sedjadehs; but all, with the exception of a few crude and coarsely woven pieces, have colours and weave that bespeak a ripe age, amounting in many instances to one hundred years or more. On the field of odjaliks are represented as a rule the usual hexagonal figure with two sides at each end forming a triangle; and on the fields of the namazliks are prayer arches which, though characteristic, never equal the graceful drawing seen in Ghiordes rugs. It is the sedjadehs that awaken the greatest interest, as they have some striking peculiarities rarely seen in rugs of the mainland.

Their field is divided into two or three panels that extend almost the full length of the field, and terminate at one end in flat and often serrated arches. The spandrels are small; and placed transversely above them is a low panel, that contains designs of mechanically drawn leaves, vandykes resembling those of Ladiks, and other figures common to Asia Minor rugs. In fact, these pieces at once suggest prayer rugs containing two or more prayer arches, but the pattern is generally regarded as a representation of cathedral windows. Both colouring and designs give force to this idea. In each of the principal panels is a different ground colour, as red, blue, or green, which is never gaudy, yet exceedingly rich on account of the depth of pile; and in the overlying figures there is often a strangely contrasting splendour of brighter colouring. Furthermore, one of the most usual of these designs, arranged like pole medallions, consists of large eight-pointed stars with effulgent rays of brilliant hues. As we look at some of the rare old pieces with this pattern, cathedral windows almost appear before us with bright sunshine streaming in golden rays through the stained glass and brightening the interior with its more sombre tones of “dim religious light.” Sometimes the pole design is modified so as to suggest a tree of life extending from one end of the panel to the other. An equally common design represents six very mechanically drawn leaves assembled in the form of a medallion (Plate [O], Fig. 15, Page 291). Each of these leaves has two straight edges meeting at right angles and containing at the corner a small rectangular spot; but the remaining sides that form the circumference of the medallion are deeply serrated, so as to produce much the same effect as the rays of effulgent stars. In the fields are also frequently seen latch-hooks, and occasionally checkerboards with different colours for separate squares.

Between field and border is a close correspondence in both colours and small designs. The latter consist principally of geometric and semi-floral forms, as eight-pointed stars, the octagonal disc, and the geometric leaf that is typical of Kulah rugs. No other design is more prevalent than the last, which may be found in all parts of these rugs. Sometimes it is drawn most realistically so as to resemble the flower forms so common in spandrels of Kulahs; but again the outlines are most conventional with square-like projections at the edges and a bar of underlying field of contrasting colour crossing the face diagonally, as in the border stripe of Plate [G], Fig. 13, (opp. Page 192), which shows the foliate origin of the latter.

The name “Makri” is frequently applied to these rugs, since they were often bought in the city of that name, which is one of the harbours of Southwestern Asia Minor nearest to Rhodes.