Hashtrud County is located in East Azerbaijan Province in NW Persia, with the city of Hashtrud as its administrative centre.
For generations, Hashtrud was known for producing beautiful village runners in a wide range of sizes, many of which gained international recognition. Sadly, very little remains of this weaving tradition in the region today.
Hashtrud runners were woven using many of the structures found throughout Persian rug weaving, including flat single-wefted and double-wefted constructions, as well as semi-depressed and fully depressed weaves. Some were made entirely of wool, while others combined wool with cotton. In certain examples, the weavers used three, five, or even seven wefts. Despite these structural variations, all were woven with symmetrical knots, using local materials traditionally dyed with natural and vegetable dyes.
The designs of Hashtrud runners are largely rooted in the artistic traditions of the Caucasus, most likely carried into the region by migrating tribes and nomadic communities.
This beautiful runner was woven with a flat, triple-wefted structure and features the striking Üç Göl, or Three Pools, design. Enriched with symbolic motifs throughout, it may be considered one of the most captivating examples of Hashtrud weaving.
Symbols of the tree of life, peacocks, protective eyes, women, rams, birds, and other figures are placed throughout the composition. Their arrangement suggests meaningful relationships between the motifs, inviting the viewer to read the rug as more than a decorative surface.
One of the most remarkable features of this runner is the nomadic weaver’s careful use of perspective. As the eye moves from the beginning of the runner toward its far end, the abstract animal figures within the navy field gradually become smaller. To create enough space for these motifs while maintaining this sense of perspective, the weaver made the navy field at the beginning several times broader than the field at the opposite end.
The deep navy produced from indigo and the coppery red derived from madder are combined with gold, white, and vivid fluorescent green in the border, giving this runner an extraordinary and unforgettable colour presence.
- Origin: Hashtrood town, NW Persia
- Age: Circa 1910s
- Materials: Handknotted wool pile on wool foundation
- Dimensions: 3' 9" x 11'
- Condition: Desirable age wear; one side border slightly shortened. Excellent antique condition.
