Afghan Maimana Kilim Area Rug, Handwoven Wool, 6x9, Red & Indigo

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A handwoven Maimana kilim from northern Afghanistan in a full palette of madder red, burnt orange, indigo blue, ivory and … Read more A handwoven Maimana kilim from northern Afghanistan in a full palette of madder red, burnt orange, indigo blue, ivory and dark brown. Maimana, in Faryab province, is the flatweave heart of the country, and this is the region's colour work at full strength rather than the softened tones that usually reach this market.

The weave is flat and reversible, hand-spun wool with no pile, and the colour holds as strongly on the reverse as on the face. Each shade is its own clear hue, with gentle shifts across the ground from abrash, the natural variation between batches of hand-spun yarn.

The centre panel carries a lattice of large diamonds outlined in ivory zigzag, each holding a concentric medallion in orange, blue, brown and red around a small white centre. Around it runs the rug's strongest element: a wide red border filled with rows of large hooked key motifs, alternating ivory, indigo, orange and brown, so that the frame is as much the subject as the field. Sawtooth guards in orange enclose the whole, and each end finishes in a banded skirt with fine blue and ivory chequered weft stripes and the original fringe.

The kilim is flat woven with no pile, so there is no pile wear. The weave is even across the field, the selvedges and end finishes are intact, and the fringe is original and complete. Clean and odour free.

Measuring 73 by 107 inches, this is a standard living room size that will hold a seating group with the front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug, or a dining table for six. The strong red and indigo carry a room on their own and work in bohemian, eclectic, southwestern and mid-century interiors, particularly against wood floors and leather. See less