Antique Akstafa Prayer Kazak

An Antique Caucasian Akstafa Prayer Kazak rug, knotted by hand with hand-carded, hand-spun, vegetable-dyed wool. Circa 1890.

Akstafa rugs belong to the Kazak weaving tradition of the southern Caucasus, where village weavers developed a bold geometric language of hooked forms, crosses, medallions, animals, plants, and traditional geometric devices. Within this tradition, prayer rugs adapted the architectural form of the mihrab, the niche indicating the direction of Mecca, into the distinctive geometric drawing of Caucasian village weaving. Intended in Islamic tradition to provide a clean, individual space for daily prayer, the prayer-rug format also became an important artistic form in its own right, interpreted differently by weaving communities throughout the Caucasus. This Akstafa example brings together that devotional format with the intriguing geometry and dynamic natural color play of late nineteenth-century Kazak weaving. Very fine condition for its age, with sides slightly reduced and expertly rewrapped.