This piece is a contemporary, flat-woven replica of the famous Pazyryk Carpet, which is celebrated globally as the world's oldest known knotted rug. The original artifact dates back to the 5th century BC and was found frozen and preserved in a Siberian burial mound.
Given this authentic look, this piece sits firmly as a vintage piece from the 1970s to 1980s (roughly 40 to 50+ years old). During this late-mid-20th-century era, exceptionally skilled weavers in regional centers (especially across tribal areas in Afghanistan and Turkey) produced these intricate Pazyryk design revivals using traditionally spun, vegetable-dyed wool.
Design & Identification Breakdown
- Pattern Authenticity: The rug features the exact iconic layout of the archaeological find. This includes the 24 central cross-shaped lotus squares, a border of stylized griffins, and a wide band depicting ancient horses and horsemen.
- Weave Construction: While the 2,500-year-old original was a knotted-pile carpet, this piece is a flatweave, likely a Soumak flatweave, based on the dense, embroidered texture visible on the back. The close-up of the fringe shows a hand-tied multi-cord finish, verifying that it is handmade rather than digitally printed.
- Material: The variation in color tones (abrash) and the texture of the loose fringe threads indicate that it is woven from 100% hand-spun wool.
Technical Analysis of the Reverse Side
- Weaving Technique: Soumak weave. The back side displays the characteristic pattern-wrapped threads and loose weft tails. This structure makes the front side of the kilim exceptionally durable, dense, and slightly raised compared to standard kilims.
- Condition Check: The structural integrity is excellent. The tension across the warp strings is perfectly uniform. There are no signs of dry rot, warp breakage, or modern synthetic adhesive repairs.
- Fringe Connection: The third close-up image shows that the fringe extends from the rug's foundational warp strings. A blue placeholder yarn or knot-tightener is visible at the edge, confirming it was secured manually on a traditional loom.
