{"id":15995,"date":"2026-08-04T17:33:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T20:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/?p=15995"},"modified":"2026-08-10T21:48:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T00:48:23","slug":"how-to-recognise-a-shirvan-rug","status":"publish","type":"orientacoes-para-com","link":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/rug-education\/how-to-recognise-a-shirvan-rug\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Recognise a Shirvan Rug"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Shirvan rug is the refined, finely drawn face of the Caucasus. Woven in the eastern Caucasus near the Caspian coast, it trades the bold shaggy geometry of the Kazak for something quieter and more exact: small, precise motifs, a flatter handle and a jeweller’s sense of pattern. Once you know what to look for, a Shirvan is easy to tell apart from its highland cousins.<\/p>\n

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Where Shirvan rugs come from<\/h2>\n

Shirvan is a historic weaving region in the eastern Caucasus, in present-day Azerbaijan, running along the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The name is used both for the district itself and, more broadly, for the whole family of finely woven East Caucasian rugs that includes Kuba, Baku and the celebrated Marasali prayer rugs. Where the Kazak and Gendje come from the western highlands, the Shirvan belongs to this eastern, more settled corner \u2014 which is exactly why its weave is so much finer.<\/p>\n

How to recognise a Shirvan<\/h2>\n

The format and handle<\/h3>\n

Shirvans are usually smaller and flatter than a Kazak \u2014 scatter sizes, prayer rugs and short runners are typical, with a thin, supple handle and a low, close-cropped pile rather than a thick shaggy one. Pick one up and it feels lighter and more pliable than a highland village rug.<\/p>\n

The drawing and palette<\/h3>\n

This is the giveaway. A Shirvan covers its field with many small, precisely drawn motifs \u2014 rows of boteh (paisley), star and hooked-diamond lattices, connected small medallions, or a single prayer niche (mihrab) \u2014 all rendered with fine, exact geometry rather than a few big bold forms. Borders are crisp and often carry a reciprocal “running dog” or a Kufic-derived band. The palette is deep and clear: indigo blue, ivory and madder red, with touches of gold and green. Read our guide to the meaning of Caucasian rug symbols<\/a> to decode the little forms.<\/p>\n

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The wool and knot<\/h3>\n

A Shirvan is tied with the symmetric (Turkish) knot on a wool \u2014 sometimes cotton \u2014 foundation, at a noticeably higher knot count than a Kazak. The wool is good and takes dye cleanly, which is what gives those precise, saturated colours their glow.<\/p>\n

Shirvan or Kazak?<\/h2>\n

The two sit at opposite ends of the Caucasian family. A Kazak (and its cousin the Gendje) is bold, thick and open, built from a few large forms in a heavy village weave; a Shirvan is fine, flat and busy, built from many small, exact motifs. If the rug feels thick and shaggy with big medallions, think Kazak; if it feels thin and supple with a small all-over pattern, think Shirvan. For the highland side of the family see how to recognise a Kazak rug<\/a> and how to recognise a Gendje<\/a>, and for the whole story, the charm of antique Caucasian rugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Where do Shirvan rugs come from?<\/strong> From the Shirvan region of the eastern Caucasus, in present-day Azerbaijan, along the western Caspian coast \u2014 the same family as Kuba and Baku rugs.<\/p>\n

How do you recognise a Shirvan?<\/strong> Look for a fine, flat weave and thin handle; a field of many small, precise motifs such as boteh, star lattices or a prayer niche; crisp geometric borders; and a deep, clear palette of indigo, ivory and madder.<\/p>\n

Is a Shirvan better than a Kazak?<\/strong> Neither is better \u2014 they are different. A Shirvan is finer, flatter and more precise; a Kazak is bolder, thicker and more dramatic. It comes down to the look you love.<\/p>\n

Caucasian rugs in the Figalli collection<\/h2>\n

The collection includes several antique Shirvan weavings \u2014 among them a 112×132 Shirvan<\/a>, a 114×115 Shirvan<\/a> and a 95×115 Shirvan<\/a>. Browse them all in the Figalli catalogue<\/a>, or see the short Shirvan entry in our rug guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Explore further:<\/strong> see our collection of antique Caucasian rugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related reading:<\/strong> How to Recognise a Gendje Rug<\/a> \u00b7 Concise History of Armenian Rug Production<\/a> \u00b7 Interpretations of Caucasian rug patterns<\/a> \u00b7 Tips for Choosing Your Rug Design<\/a> \u00b7 Tip: DIY Interior Design<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-15995","orientacoes-para-com","type-orientacoes-para-com","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/orientacoes-para-com\/15995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/orientacoes-para-com"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/orientacoes-para-com"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/orientacoes-para-com\/15995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18580,"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/orientacoes-para-com\/15995\/revisions\/18580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}