Oriental Rugs Part 20

A very interesting stripe, found almost exclusively in rugs from the districts of Daghestan and s.h.i.+rvan, is the Cufic pattern of Plate J, Fig. 19. It is particularly characteristic of old Daghestans and Kabistans, but must have been introduced through s.h.i.+rvan from Armenia, as it can be traced through a gradation of changes to stripes of Cufic characters used in Asia Minor rugs of the XV Century.

Plate J, Fig. 20 represents a "bracket-chain" pattern that probably originated in Asia Minor, but is occasionally found in the rugs of Caucasia.

In Plate J, Fig. 21 is a stripe representing scorpions, that is very rarely seen in s.h.i.+rvans; and in Fig. 22 is a stripe representing birds, sometimes seen in Bakus.

SECONDARY AND TERTIARY STRIPES.-As the pattern shown in Plate K, Fig. 1 (opp. Page 230) shows in profile flowers representing carnations, it has been called the "carnation pattern." It is very common in s.h.i.+rvans, Kabistans, and Daghestans.

Less frequently seen are the rectangular vine with a design like a three-leaf clover, shown in Plate K, Fig. 2, and the very graceful vine with leaf and flower shown in Fig. 3, both of which are indiscriminately used in place of the carnation pattern in rugs with the same primary stripe. The latter is the most dainty and graceful Caucasian floral stripe. It is found in pieces of the Kabistan and Daghestan cla.s.ses made over a century and a half ago, and is probably of Iranian extraction.

Another floral pattern from the same district is seen in Plate K, Fig.

4. It often accompanies the Georgian stripe of Daghestans and Soumaks, with which its stiff drawing harmonises.

Likewise, the stripe shown in Fig. 5 is found now and then in the same cla.s.ses of rugs. Similar rosettes are sometimes represented in Persian stripes that show the influence of nomadic weavers.

Simple forms of the running vine which are seen mostly in the rugs of Southern Caucasia are represented in Plate K, Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

All are old patterns. The third appears in an Asia Minor carpet woven about 1250 A. D. The fourth is found in some of the oldest remaining rugs from Southern Caucasia, that date back two and a half centuries; and a pattern similar to the last is seen in some Persian carpets made about 1650 A. D.

Plate K, Figs. 11 and 12 represent stripes sometimes seen in Chichis and a few other Caucasian rugs.

A very simple pattern, but one that at times is very attractive on account of its delicate colouring, is shown in Plate K, Fig. 13, and another is shown in Fig. 14. Both are used princ.i.p.ally in rugs of Southern Caucasia.

The stripe represented in Plate K, Fig, 15, is found in very old rugs of the Daghestan and Derbend types; and there is a tradition among some of the native weavers that the designs originally represented boat hooks used by the sailors of the Caspian Sea. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the early weavers imitated objects of utility before those of mere ornament; but even if there is any basis for the tradition, it is equally probable that these designs are derived from the lily or other floral forms, and were introduced from Persia.

Somewhat similar to the last is the reciprocal trefoil, which generally appears with more simple drawing than is shown in Plate F, Fig. 17 (opp.

Page 158). It is more widely used for a border stripe than any other pattern, as it is found in almost all Caucasian, in a large number of Persian, in Indian, and Beluchistan rugs. It was commonly used in Persian rugs as early as the year 1500.

The dainty Chain pattern of Plate K, Fig. 16 has a well authenticated antiquity, as it is found in Asia Minor carpets of the XV Century, from which it was probably derived. Without doubt it was a favourite pattern three centuries ago, as it appears in some of the early paintings in which Oriental carpets are represented.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE K. SECONDARY AND TERTIARY BORDER-STRIPES OF CAUCASIAN RUGS]

Not infrequently the right-angled corners are rounded so as to give it a more graceful form.

As the purely geometric pattern of Plate K, Fig. 17 is entirely lacking in ornamental features, it is used princ.i.p.ally to separate more important stripes. Occasionally it is found in such rugs as the Chichis and s.h.i.+rvans.

Another very simple pattern that is sometimes used as an inside stripe is seen in Plate K, Fig. 18. This is evidently an archaic form and is found princ.i.p.ally in pieces of the s.h.i.+rvan district.

The reciprocal sawtooth and the running latch-hook patterns (Plate K, Figs. 19 and 20) belong to the less important stripes of not only Caucasian but a number of Persian rugs. The former pattern appears constantly on the monuments of ancient Susa, and doubtless had once some symbolic meaning. The latter is seen in the corners of the Dragon and Phnix carpet (Plate 20, opp. Page 88) which was woven about 1350 A. D.

TECHNICALITIES IN THE WEAVE OF CAUCASIAN RUGS

Legend:

KNOT- H = Horizontally P = Perpendicularly WARP- g = goat's hair e = each equally prominent d = 1 to the knot depressed h = 1 to the knot doubled under WEFT- No. = No. times crossing bet. two round knots SIDES- O = overcast S = selvage LOWER END W = web S = Selvage K = Rows knots L = warp loops F = fringe UPPER END W = web S = selvage K = Rows knots T = turned back and hemmed F = fringe

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+ KNOT WARP +----------------------------+------------------------------ CAUCASIAN Number to At back Inches G = S = +----------- w = c = +----------- Ghiordes Sehna H P wool cotton s/l e d h +------------+---------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+----+---+---+--- Baku G 6-9 7-11 w e Chichi G 7-10 8-12 w e Daghestan G 7-10 8-15 w e [d]

Derbend G 5-9 6-12 w [c] e Gengha G 6-8 6-9 w [g] e

Kabistan G 7-12 8-16 w e Karabagh G 6-10 7-10 w d Kasak G 6-9 7-10 w e Kuba G 6-9 7-13 w e Kutais G 5-9 7-12 w [c] e Lesghian G 6-9 6-11 w [e] d [h]

Shemakha G 7-11 7-13 w d s.h.i.+rvan G 7-12 8-12 w e Shousha G 7-12 6-11 w d h Soumak 8-14 6-16 w e Tcherkess G 6-9 7-10 w e [d]

Tiflis G 6-10 6-10 w [c] e +------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------+ WEFT SIDES LOWER END +---------------------+-------+----------------- CAUCASIAN w = c = wool cotton No. O S W/S K L F +------------+-----+-------+-------+---+---+-----+---+---+--- Baku w 2 O S W K F Chichi w 2 O [S] W K F Daghestan w 2 [O] S W K F Derbend w [c] 2/[1] [O] S W [K] F Gengha w 2-4 S W L [6-8]

Kabistan w c [2]/[3] O S W/[S] L Karabagh w 2 [O] S W/[S][K] L F Kasak w 2/[3-4] O S W/[S] L F Kuba w 2 S W [K] F Kutais w 3/[1-5] O S W F Lesghian w 2 S W K F Shemakha w 2 S W/S F s.h.i.+rvan w [c] 2 [O] S W K F Shousha w 2 S W L Soumak w 2 [O] S W/S K F Tcherkess w 2/[4-6] S W/S K F Tiflis w 3-5 O S W F +------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+ UPPER END NAP WEAVE TEXTURE +-----------------+-----------+-----------+---------- CAUCASIAN l = long f = fine l = loose m = medium m = medium m = medium W/S K T F s = short c = coa.r.s.e f = firm +------------+-----+---+---+---+-----------+-----------+---------- Baku W K F s m m/f Chichi W K F m/s m m Daghestan W K F s f m/f Derbend W [K] F m m m/l Gengha W/[S] F m c l

Kabistan W/[S] F m m m/f Karabagh W/[S][K] T F m c l Kasak W/[S][K] F l c f Kuba W/[S][K] F m m m/l Kutais W F m m/c m/f Lesghian W K F m c f Shemakha W/S F m m/f m/f s.h.i.+rvan W K F m/s m/c m/l Shousha W [T] F m m/c m/f Soumak W/S K F m m Tcherkess W/S K F m m f Tiflis W F m m/f f +-----------------------------------------------------------------+

[] indicates the less frequent condition.

CHAPTER XII

CENTRAL ASIATIC RUGS

THE land that extends eastward about fourteen hundred miles from the Caspian Sea to the western boundary of the Chinese Empire, and northward for a similar distance from the Arabian Sea through Beluchistan and Afghanistan to the steppes of Western Siberia, is one of the least civilised parts of the eastern continent. Here until within a few recent years, the people lived the same untrammelled lives that their ancestors pursued for past centuries; and the encroachments of the Russian Empire on the north and the English on the southeast, have as yet made little impression on their uncultured natures. To these circ.u.mstances it is largely due that the rugs termed Central Asiatic, which come from this district, still possess to a large degree the originality of design, virility of character, and beauty of colour that are so rapidly disappearing from the woven products of countries more subject to the influence of Western civilisation.

These rugs may conveniently be divided into three natural sub-groups, which include:

1. The Turkoman, consisting of what are known in this country as Royal and Princess Bokharas, the Tekkes, Yomuds, Khivas, and Bes.h.i.+res, all of which are made in Turkestan;[32] and the Afghan, of which part are made in Turkestan and part in Afghanistan.

2. The Turko-Chinese, consisting of the Samarkands, which re made in Western Turkestan, and the Kasghars and Yarkands made in Eastern Turkestan.

3. The Beluchistans or Beluches, made princ.i.p.ally in Beluchistan.

No other rugs adhere more strictly to uniformity of colour and design than the Turkoman. And, when it is considered that their prevailing tones and their simple, geometric designs are such as would readily be adopted by people with primitive ideas of ornamentation, it seems probable that they have been copied with only slight modification for a great many centuries, even though more gorgeous and elaborate carpets were woven during the short period when Samarkand was capital of the East. This is probably true, notwithstanding no other country in the world has been subject to more conquests than Turkestan or overrun by so many different races. For here, as we learn by the aid of philology, dwelt the Aryans even before the light of history had come to dispel the mists of antiquity. Two or three thousand years later it was overrun by Cyrus and added to the dominion of the Medes and Persians. In the V Century A. D., Tartar tribes conquered it; and in the following century Turks and Persians divided it between them. Still later it was again overrun by the Arabs, who, sword in hand, converted the vanquished to the creed of Islam. When a few more centuries had rolled away the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan swept over it; and once again it suffered desolation under the iron hand of Tamerlane, "Scourge of Asia." But in spite of these waves of conquest and the minor struggles with Persians, Greeks, and Romans, that left their impress on the country, each of the several cla.s.ses of Turkoman rugs, including even those made two centuries ago, show a remarkable conformity to definite types, however much may be their modification in small detail. Their nap is invariably short; in all of them some shade of dark red is the predominating colour; and in most of them some form of an octagon appears. They are, moreover, the best woven and the most beautiful of the Central Asiatic rugs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAP OF TURKESTAN]

Though the Turko-Chinese rugs are made in places subject to the influence of Turkomans and far removed from the culture of Chinese, they are unlike the rugs of the former and resemble those of the latter. Not improbably this is because Tamerlane had gathered at Samarkand noted artists and artisans from China, whose influence continued long after his death. And as traditional patterns have been transmitted for centuries, there is little doubt that some of the modern rugs, even though falling far short of the standard of their early prototypes, more closely resemble them than they do any other rugs of Asia. In these pieces Turkoman simplicity of geometric figures is replaced by an elaboration of conventional floral forms and by designs a.s.sociated with early philosophies; sobriety of colour yields to the bright and even gaudy tones not infrequent in modern textile fabrics.

The Beluchistans, which are regarded as a sub-group of the Central Asiatic rugs, show a closer relations.h.i.+p to the Turkoman rugs than to any others. A few of them have octagonal patterns suggestive of Bokharas, and all have the long webs at the ends and the heavy goat's hair selvage at the sides peculiar to Afghans and Tekkes. On the other hand, many of the patterns both of field and border resemble Persian workmans.h.i.+p; so that placing these rugs in the same group with the Turkoman and Turko-Chinese rugs, which are not made in an adjoining territory, is slightly arbitrary.

ROYAL BOKHARAS.-The best known district in Turkestan is the Khanate of Bokhara, which extends from the offshoots of the lofty Pamir mountains in the east to the desolate sandy plains beyond the Amu Daria, or Oxus river, on the west. Situated in its northern half and near the centre of a fertile valley is its capital, Bokhara, "The n.o.ble." Though noted for its cruelty, it was once the intellectual centre of Asia, and still possesses nearly a hundred schools and innumerable mosques. These and its bazaars are almost all that remain of the splendour of those days when the great caravans that came from China, India, Persia, and Russia made it one of the great marts of the East.

On account of its commercial importance, the wild tribes of the Kirghiz steppes, the Turkomans from Kizil k.u.m,[33] the Afghans who dwell north of the Paropamisus range, and the fierce Tekkes and Yomuds from the west, came and bartered their rugs for other necessities. Many of these rugs were taken in caravans, that often numbered several thousand camels, and sold in the Russian market places of Astrakan, Orenburg, or Nijni Novgorod. Since they came from the same place, the term Bokhara was often applied to each of the different cla.s.ses. Thus we hear of Royal Bokharas, Princess Bokharas, Tekke Bokharas, Yomud Bokharas, and Khiva Bokharas.

Of these five cla.s.ses the Royal Bokharas, as a rule, not only are the best woven, but are made of the finest material; even the warp of many of them is of soft, silky white wool. The old rugs were made in the city and suburbs of Bokhara, where now only a few pieces are made. Both old and new are found only as sedjadehs. They have two well-known patterns, one of which consists of an octagon surrounding a quartered hexagon. Of these quarters, which are either plain or contain a small triangle of contrasting colour, a pair that are opposite are always white or cream coloured, and the other pair are of some shade of red. Small triangular figures are invariably seen above and below the hexagons, as well as small diamond, oval, or spear-shaped figures at each end of the major axis. In the other pattern the contour of the octagon is rounder; and the hexagon is replaced by an eight-pointed star, at the centre of which is a diamond containing a rectangle or occasionally a Greek cross.

Projecting into the four corners from the star are small designs, that careful observation of a large number in many different kinds of rugs shows to be leaf forms. Between the diagonally placed octagons of both these types are stars or diamond-shaped figures, that are usually of the same design regardless of the shape of the octagon. In large rugs the centres of the octagons are generally joined by straight lines of dark blue colour.

It is uncertain why the term Royal has been applied to this cla.s.s of Bokharas, but it is eminently befitting the old well-woven, velvet-like pieces. A few have small patches of pink or ruby coloured silk; and all have a prevailing tone of red diversified by deep blues and touches of lighter red and ivory, that convey an idea of opulence and dignity worthy of a king.