Persian Kurd Saujbolagh Runner Rug | 3' 8" x 13' 5"

Mahabad, historically known as Savojbolagh, is the administrative centre of Mahabad County in Persia’s West Azerbaijan Province.

The region was once an important centre of Kurdish rug weaving, although this tradition has unfortunately been largely forgotten. Savojbolagh rugs are among the most beautiful forms of Kurdish weaving and, because of the region’s distinctive geography and natural environment, have earned a special reputation among international collectors.

The area’s cold, mountainous climate produces wool with a remarkable natural lustre. When this local wool is processed by hand and traditionally dyed with regional dyes, it gives Savojbolagh rugs excellent resistance to light and wear while greatly enhancing their visual beauty.

This rug is a beautiful example of Savojbolagh weaving. Its design is an intuitive interpretation of the celebrated Mina Khani¹ pattern, brought together with local wool and regional colours. Along with its beauty and harmonious composition, the rug has a generous, high pile that gives it an exceptionally soft and inviting feel.

Madder red dominates the palette, accompanied by repeated accents of pistachio green and golden yellow that define the outlines of the motifs across the field. Together with the negative spaces in the design, these colours create an uninterrupted path of flowing beauty and a truly distinctive harmony.

Another remarkable feature is the local weaver’s creative decision to use the same ground colour in both the main border and the central field. This creates a sense of visual calm while also making the rug appear broader and more expansive.

The rug is woven in a compact lul-baft² structure with symmetrical knots and a high pile. This construction gives it the necessary body and stability to sit securely on different types of flooring, even without the use of a rug pad.

• Origin: Kurd people, Western Persia
  
• Materials: Hand-knotted, handspun, vegetable-dyed wool pile on a wool foundation
  
• Age: Circa 1920s-1930s
  
• Size: 3' 8" x 13' 5" (112 x 410 cm)
  
• Condition: Excellent condition for the age, with lower pile in some area and uneven fringes in some areas
  
  
  

¹ Mina Khani is a traditional allover Persian pattern, usually formed from repeated floral rosettes connected by vines or stems.

² Lul-baft refers to a compact weave structure with displaced or depressed warps, giving the rug greater body and firmness.