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Eastern Caucasus, Kuba district, 2nd half of the 19th century

Multicolored stripes are common in Caucasian rugs, but the chevron configuration of this prayer rug from the Kuba district is rare.  While the colors of its stripes might first appear to be arbi trarily chosen, a closer look reveals the careful planning that determined their sequence. At the bottom, the field begins with a "base" of alternating red, white, and blue stripes that cradle the rest of the design. Above, color groupings form four dark chevrons, with decreasing spaces between them. At the prayer arch, the stripes terminate with a sawtooth effect in red and white, which creates the illusion of a third dimension. Finally, the restrained narrow border design effectively but unobtrusively frames the dazzling interior.

M.H.