Antique Persian-Armenian Lilihan Rug

Origin: The village of Lilihan, Markazi Province, Iran. Lilihan was a village established in the early 1600s, when hundreds of thousands of Armenians were forcibly relocated amid clashes between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Iran. By the late 1900s, most of the Armenian population had relocated to larger cities.

Age: 1920s to 1930s, ~90-110 years old.

Design: A masterpiece of abundance, in color and design. This rare blue field variation of a Lilihan rug beautifully blends Persian style with some subtle Armenian flare. A floral cruciform grows from the center of the field, surrounded in a symmetrical manner with blossoms. The horizontal axis features two blue abstracted dragons, outlined in coral red. The vertical axis features blooming flowers with prominent cruciforms that are referred to as either Cross Pattée or Maltese Cross. The corners of the rug are anchored with four elegant flowering vases, with floral branches growing upward in the manner of a tree of life. The primary border features a meandering and curling vine between blossoms, with two secondary borders of vines and flowers.

Colors: All natural plant dyes that are incredibly saturated and have a beautiful variation in color from small batch lots. The dying expertise employed here is as much an art form as that of the weaver. Shades of blue from Indigo (indigofera tinctoria, also known as true indigo.) Shades of coral red from madder root that was fermented in yoghurt (rubia tinctorum, or dyer’s madder). Yellow has several possible sources including pomegranate rind, onion skins, vine leaves, and weld (reseda luteola). Greens from overdying blue and yellow. There are some deep brown/reds that appear to be dark wool dyed with madder root. Natural undyed ivory. Black/midnight blue probably from dark wool also dyed with indigo and/or walnut husk. Excellent use of dye variation (abrash) from different dye lots.

Foundation: Cotton warp and single cotton weft.

Pile: Densely knotted wool pile of superior quality with a thick depth.

Knotting: Symmetrical.

Size: 4 feet by 6 feet 6 inches.

Condition: Excellent condition, and almost no wear to the pile of the rug. There is some beautiful oxidation of the pile from age, leading to a carved appearance on some colors. The bottom of the rug is missing two rows of knots, and both ends have been professionally secured.