Spanning the mountainous region between the Caspian and Black seas, the Caucasus is home to dozens of ethnic groups, including tribes of nomadic shepherds. In these communities, woven rugs were an essential part of everyday life, used to cover the floor, hold household goods, secure tents and more.
When the Czarist Russian government resettled many nomadic peoples into villages and towns in the 19th century, carpet weaving remained important for domestic and commercial purposes. Caucasian carpets were in great demand in Europe and America, and fostered a Russian “Kustar” or cottage industry movement that boosted economic development of the area.
Women and girls wove these rugs at home on simple looms. Sheep’s wool was sourced from the family herd, which was tended by the men of the family, or from the local market. The bright colors were created from dyes made at home or acquired from the village dyer.
Flatweave rugs like this example are known as “Dragon Rugs” for their large, repeating S- and Z-shaped motifs, inspired by dragon motifs seen in Persian and Chinese art. Weavers used a supplementary-weft wrapping technique (soumak), generally attributed to the Dagestan area in southeastern Caucasus, to produce a thick and strong flatweave. The technique involves wrapping weft yarns around warp yarns to create a decorative pattern. Finished rugs are woven in two narrow strips and sewn together.
