Rug with Mughal floral pattern
Kashgar oasis
Eastern Turkestan
18th century
208 x 118 cm (6’11” x 3’10”)
Alg 2033
asymmetrically knotted wool pile open to the left on a cotton foundation

An extremely rare and early east Turkestan rug, decorated by a network composed of horizontally arranged lotus flowers, intersecting with blossoms of six flowers in a manner that is reminiscent of early weavings of the Mughal dynasty (1526-1707) . The unique border, of cartouches containing pairs of palmettes, further attests to the antiquity of the piece. The cotton foundation supports the attribution to the oasis of Kashgar, which is traditionally the place of origin for the earliest and most esoteric weavings of the Sinkiang region.

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