3'4" x 4'9" Persian Koliai Rug | Red Field | Navy Split Medallion | Ivory Corner Panels
Koliai weavers are known for thick, heavy rugs, and this 3'4" x 4'9" Persian Koliai is a good example: hand-knotted in natural wool pile on a cotton foundation at approximately 280 to 320 knots per square inch, it has a dense, plush handle that feels substantial underfoot. The rug has never been used, is in excellent condition and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It is one of the most graphic pieces among our 3x5 Persian rugs, a strong choice for an entry, a study or the foot of a bed.
Design and Motifs
The medallion is the rug's most striking feature: a large navy hexagon cut across its middle by an ivory band carrying a row of pink and blue rosettes, so it reads as 2 halves facing each other. Each half holds a salmon pentagon with a nested diamond, and small olive animal figures stand in its side points. Above and below, the red field is scattered with blue anchor-like hooks, green comb motifs, small diamonds and stepped stars. At each end, a pair of ivory panels with hooked tops holds rows of 3 rosettes, like little houses guarding the corners. The navy main border carries pink rosettes and small orange and olive figures, framed by olive guard stripes with tiny flowers. It is a fine example of the bold, inventive drawing found in geometric rugs from Kurdish weavers.
Red, Navy and Ivory
Red covers the field, a warm, slightly orange-leaning tone that gives the rug its glow. Navy blue fills the medallion halves and the main border, a deep, cool color that frames the red and gives the design weight. Ivory and beige provide the brightest notes, in the center band and the 4 corner panels, so the eye moves from the middle to the ends and back again. Rose, pink and salmon fill the rosettes and the pentagons inside the medallion, softening the strong contrast between red and navy. Green, olive green and dark green appear in the comb motifs, the little animals and the guard stripes, while blue and royal blue draw the hooks and some of the rosettes. Orange and grey add small details in the border figures. The overall effect is rich and earthy, with enough contrast to read clearly from across a room.
Koliai Kurdish Weaving
The Koliai are a Kurdish people of western Persia, living in the villages and hills between Hamedan and Kermanshah. Their rugs are known for generous, heavy wool, saturated colors and bold geometric designs that often include small animal figures, hooks and stepped motifs carried over from older tribal traditions. Many are made in small, practical sizes for use around the home, and their thick pile makes them unusually durable. You can see more examples among our Persian Koliai rugs and the wider range of tribal rugs in our collection. This one shows the Koliai style at its most graphic, a navy medallion split by an ivory band of rosettes on a deep red field.
