Antique Sewan Kazak Rug Sevan Caucasian Carpet Late-19th Century Caucasus

This is another handsome example of the “Sewan” Kazak design group, a single large cruciform medallion with octagon ends from the late 19th century, southwest Caucasus area. Sewan Kazaks are named after Lake Sewan (Sevan) located east of Erivan in Armenia close to the border of Azerbaijan and south of Tbilisi in Georgia. These Sewan Kazaks with a single large cruciform medallion, represent another well-defined group from the southwest Caucasus. The medallion is found in three main forms wing-sided and arrow-head ended or square-sided and squared-octagon ended or straight-sided and arrow-head ended. They come in a variety of textures, the knot count range being about the same as for the triple-medallion Kazaks. The foundation is all wool; warps may be grey or brown, although late pieces, including examples bearing the Islamic equivalents of 20th-century dates, usually have uniform ivory warp and weft. Wefts may be blue (on pieces usually thought to be early), light brown. dark brown, pink, red, or ivory. It should be noted that although the German name for this group is ‘Schild- (shield) Kazak’.