Antique Khamseh Baharlu runner, last quarter 19th c. Antique Khamseh Baharlu runner, last quarter 19th c.Click on image to view at larger size.
Unusual narrow runner by the Baharlu tribe of the Khamseh Federation, Fars SW Persia. A regular design dominated by the very large botehs (nine rows at two botehs). Various charming animals and other abstract filler motives.
Parham, in Masterpieces of Fars rugs, illustrates two rugs with similar large botehs; the example illustrated as no. 41 is symmetrically knotted and is attributed to the Arab or Baharlu tribes of Khamseh. The second, no. 44, has a more ornate rendering of the botehs and has both pink cotton wefts and asymmetric knots; this anomalous structure suggested an attribution to a Mazidi Arab group in Sarhad-i chardangeh in the north west of Fars. The dark brown wefts of this rug as well as the palette would have indicated an Arab or Nafar origin were irt not for the asymmetric knotting.
The runner measures 9ft.8in. x 2ft.9in. (293 x 84 cm). Warps: two wool singles, off-white and dark brown, twined together, wefts of dark brown wool. The pile has asymmetric knots open to the left, no warp depression, ca. 6h x 8v knots per inch, i.e., ca 48 kpsi.
Slight even wear overall, small repairs. No damages, no stains or odor.
