Persian Azerbaijan Soumak Runner — Ruby & Ivory Linked Diamonds | 3'9" × 11'

Walk the length of this runner and you meet a chain of linked hexagons down the centre, alternating ivory and dark navy. Look closely at the ivory ones: each holds a small ewer, the kind of pitcher used for pouring water. The navy medallions carry red cross-shaped forms, and every medallion is outlined in golden-yellow sawtooth edges that make the whole column feel alive.

Then there are the animals. Small goats and birds are tucked into the corners of the red field, easy to miss until you notice one and start finding the rest. An ivory border of multicoloured eight-pointed stars wraps the whole design.

This is soumak, a flatweave with no pile, made by wrapping coloured wool around the warps. It gives a crisp, slightly textured surface, and if you turn the runner over you will see the loose yarn ends that are a normal sign of the technique. Soumak lies flat and works well in hallways and on stairs, and at eleven feet long this one has the length to run a full corridor.

Rug Details:

• Origin: Azerbaijan province, Probably Ardebil, Persia
• Age: 1960s years
• Material: Wool 
• Dimensions: 3' 9" x 11' ft.