Century Old Kars Kilim

This century-old flatweave kilim from the Kars region of Turkey is a striking study in color, craft, and cultural memory. Woven from wool dyed with root-based pigments, its palette is a rich, weathered spectrum of autumn tones. Dusty clay, dark chocolate, pumpkin, oatmeal, robin’s egg blue, oxblood, and marigold, each softened by time into a beautifully abrashed surface. The colors shift and settle like a landscape at dusk, grounding the piece in both history and the natural world. A timeworn patina graces its surface, a gentle testament to generations passed. Symmetric borders and medallions anchor the composition, while scattered, smaller motifs dance freely across the field; woven with a painterly hand that feels both spontaneous and deeply intentional. These ancient symbols, rich with meaning, speak to the rug’s origins as a heartfelt dowry piece, imbued with hopes for protection, abundance, and fertility. There’s a disarming contrast at play; a primitive, almost childlike whimsy balanced by a mastery of technique that speaks to generations of skilled hands. It’s a rug that holds tension between order and improvisation, purpose and play. More than a textile, it’s a tactile narrative of lived experience, emotion, and enduring beauty.

Colour palette: Dusty clay brown, dark chocolate, marigold, grape, oatmeal, robin’s egg blue, faded ink blue, pumpkin and oxblood. 

This antique rug is in exceptionally well-preserved condition for a piece this age.

This item is located in Asheville, North Carolina and will be shipped via USPS. Allow for 5-7 days for arrival.