White ground Shirvan rug with Lesghi stars
Northeast Caucasus
circa 1850
257 x 105 cm (8’5” x 3’5”)
Alg 1587
symmetrically knotted wool pile on wool warps and cotton wefts

It has been by now ascertained that not all rugs woven with the so-called Lesghi star derive from either Lesghistan or can be automatically attributed to the Lesghi tribe, since this design appears on rugs woven with many different structures and textures. In this example, which is structurally characteristic of Shirvan weavings, the main feature is the use of ivory for both the background and the border, which is possibly indicative that it was woven for dowry purposes. This is compounded by the high knot count, by the use of a soft and lustrous pile as well as the full range of highly saturated colours.

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