Kazak

An Afghan Kazak rug, knotted by hand with hand-carded, hand-spun, vegetable-dyed wool, woven by master weavers in northern Afghanistan.

Kazak rugs come from the village-weaving traditions of the western Transcaucasus, especially present-day Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia, where rural communities developed a bold geometric language of stars, hooked forms, animals, plants, and tribal symbols. Their designs preserve ancient Caucasian and broader Near Eastern elements while also reflecting centuries of exchange with Persian floral and medallion traditions. During the late nineteenth century, Russian expansion and growing European demand transformed Caucasian village weaving into a major export industry, helping make Kazak rugs some of the most recognizable and admired of all Caucasian carpets.