Khamseh Rug
Khamseh antique tribal rug, circa 1910
Size 156 x 133 cm
Southwest Persia, Fars Province.
Pile wool, warp wool, weft wool..

This wonderful rug has a rare mother and child Boteh design. The Boteh can symbolize seed and fertility for many tribal cultures and by weaving these large Boteh (Mother) combined with smaller Boteh (Child),  we may be able to imagine a young mother weaving this rug while thinking of a child to be, or a newborn baby. Sometimes rugs are made when a mother and her child sit side-by-side at the loom, in this case I think the technique used and the fineness would suggest that this was made purely by a very experienced weaver. However, while she was working on this piece, perhaps the child sat with her to talk, or helped by fetching the dyed wool for her. When you look at the number of colors in this piece and the amount of work it took to not only weave, but to constantly change yarns from one color to another then we can see this as woven art.