A Kalat sumak, Number 167887 250x167

Kurds who live in Khorassan are descendants of those who moved to the area, over a thousand kilometres away from their homeland, in the 16th and 17th centuries.  The Safavid government under Abbas the great marshalled the move through intimidation and enticement so the warrior tribes act as the first line of defence against the Moghul and Uzbek attacks.

The people have lived in the area for centuries and established an identity as Kurdi people. They are Kurds by ancestors but centuries of living and intermarriages with Baluch, Torkuman and Uzbek tribes in the area have influenced their culture. Such effect is noticeable in the designs and techniques that they use to make their rugs which are totally different from those of their cousins in western Persia. 

The rug here is a Kurdi "sumak". The weavers of the village of Kalat create such rugs in traditional colours which are tones of brown and terracotta. We have asked a weaver in the village to make this one for us in different colours to achieve a modern look.

This piece is a unique production, an attempt to achieve a fresh look by bridging tradition and modernity.