Kuba Rug with Octagonal Medallions

The design source of the rug comes from the book Oriental Rugs Volume 1 Caucasian, Ian Bennett, Oriental Textile Press, Aberdeen 1993, nr.306. This is an unusual hooked octagonal medallion design rug from the 19th century, Kuba region, Caucasus area. The series of octagon medallions arranged in horizontal rows, each with a delicately drawn star-motif center, is reminiscent of a group of octagon rugs attributed to Kuba in the southern Caucasus. Whichever weaving center produced this rug in the past times, it has a rare design of great charm. The design of the rug is interpreted by our designers, and the soft colors are used for this rug.

Kuba is the principal town in an area between Shirvan to the south and Daghestan to the north. To it were attributed many of the older groups of Caucasian carpets, including the 'dragon' rugs; this traditional view is now coming under increasing attack, primarily on historical grounds - the town of Kuba itself having been founded only in the mid-18th century. The Kuba area is, in reality, part of north Shirvan and an attribution to southern Shirvan for many of the earliest extant Caucasian carpets is, at least, a reasonable hypothesis.

Color summary: 9 colors in total;

• Falu Red  552 (Madder Root - Pomegranate)
• Natural Wool Color  320 (No Dye - Specially Washed)
• Cadet Blue 26 (Spurge - Indigo)
• Navy Blue  432 (Indigo - Pomegranate)
• Cocoa Brown  109 (No Dye - Sheep's Own Color)
• Pine Tree  420 (Henna - Indigo)
• Burlywood  135 (Spurge - Madder Root)
• Dark Sienna  401 (Madder Root - Pomegranate - Spurge)
• Olive Green  425 (Dyer’s Weed)

For more information about our Colors.