3 x 11 Antique Persian Malayer Rug 77280

77280 Antique Persian Malayer Rug Runner, 03'04 x 11'01.

This antique Persian Malayer rug runner, hand-knotted in wool, unfurls like a song of nomadic tradition—a tale whispered through generations across the arid plains of Persia. Its field, alive with geometry and meaning, is adorned with a striking pole medallion design, a hallmark of village artistry that speaks of movement, migration, and myth. The central hexagonal medallion, deep and contemplative in dark ink blue, becomes the heart of this woven narrative, cradling symbols of protection and fertility—animal motifs, boteh forms, roundel rosettes, and a powerful latch-hook amulet—each woven with intent, each echoing the hopes and beliefs of its maker.

Flanking this medallion, two stepped lozenge companions rise, their edges traced with latch-hooks, ancient symbols meant to guard against unseen forces. These forms, both geometric and spiritual, give structure to the composition, anchoring it in a lineage of symbolic design that binds function to faith. The spandrels mirror this reverence, their angular shapes reminiscent of ziggurats—earth-bound stairways ascending toward the divine—reaching inward with quiet urgency toward the protective medallion, as though seeking the heart of the rug’s power.

The border, a continuous rhythm of repeating hexagons in shifting earth-tones, frames the piece with balance and motion. Each hexagon, a world unto itself, offers a counterpoint to the field’s intricate dialogue. Enclosing this lattice of meaning are the inner and outer guard bands, adorned with the running dog motif—also known as the Vitruvian scroll—a classical symbol of eternity and flowing life. These bands lend a sense of perpetual movement, their curling forms suggesting the unbroken cycle of time, the eternal return.

In this Malayer runner, we find more than a mere floor covering; we find a testament to nomadic grace and the poetry of protection. Its palette of subdued blues and muted golds, softened by age and use, exudes a tranquil strength, perfect for a space that honors history while embracing the quiet elegance of lived experience. Here, every knot is a word, every motif a verse, together composing an ode to a people and their path through the world.

• Abrash.
• Hand knotted wool.
• Made in Iran.
• Measures: 03'04 x 11'01.
• Date: 1920's. Early 20th Century.