This masterpiece is one of the oldest examples of a type woven by the Timur (Taimuri), a tribe of mixed Turko-Mongol origin living primarily in a mountainous region extending from the northwest corner of Afghanistan into neighboring Iran. Their rugs are often grouped with those of the Baluch, a tribe who inhabit the same area but who have different ethnic roots. Descended from east Persian carpets of the Safavid period, the design of this classic Timuri example consists of a central tree of life with alternating pairs of hexagonal medallions geometricized palmettes. Smaller medallions and floral motifs are interspersed throughout.Although the colors in Timuri carpets are typically somewhat limited in number, the weavers use them to great effect. Here, they have created variety and drama by reversing the color placement in each pair of opposing medallions and palmettes and by setting the design against a deep blue field. The use of dyed silk in the small diamond elements adds further variety to the palette.Carpets of this quality demonstrate the ability of tribal weavers to adapt the sophisticated, curvilinear designs of urban carpets to their own vigorous aesthetic.Timuri tribe, Eastern Iran or Northwestern Afghanistan Carpet, mid-19th century Wool, silk; knotted pile (asymmetrical knot, open to the left) 111 x 84 in. (281.9 x 213.4 cm) Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco The Caroline and H. McCoy Jones Collection. Bequest of H. McCoy Jones, 1988.11.132 © Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
