For a guide on motifs found in all types of Oriental rugs check out our Guide to Motifs.
Antique Caucasian rugs were woven in The Caucasus, a region at the border of Europe and Asia. This area plays host to a wide variety of ethnic groups and is full of culture. Kazak rugs are a specific type of Caucasian rug and feature a variety of geometric symbols. There are so many different symbols in antique Caucasian rugs it would be impossible to list them all, so below is a list of some of the more common symbols as well as several we have seen in recent rugs we have had in our shop. To learn more about Caucasian rugs see our guide to Caucasian rug Types and shop our Caucasian rugs for sale online.
Typical geometric shapes are common, like diamonds, squares, lattices, crosses and stripes. Geometric animals are also commonly found in antique Caucasian rugs and are also common in Kazak rugs. Below is a particular peacock that is common in Caucasian Akstafa rugs.
Below is a boteh motif, these are quite common in Persian rugs but are also seen in Caucasian carpets as well.
Although they are known for their tribal nature, Caucasian rugs do occasionally have floral motifs. Rather than the well known curvilinear floral designs often seen in Persian carpets, flowers that appear in Caucasian rugs are usually geometric in nature with more angular edges as seen in the carnation pictured below.
Cloud bands are one of my favorite types of motifs found in rugs, specifically Caucasian carpets. Cloud bands, like flowers, are usually curvilinear in Persian and Indian carpets while they are geometricized in Caucasian rugs. Pictured below is a cloud band in a Chonderesk carpet.
Below is an amulet motif seen in a Caucasian Kazak Prayer rug. This symbol is meant to guard against evil spirits. Kazak rug symbols are often geometric and may or may not feature floral motifs.
Lastly, Caucasian rugs may feature numbers or signatures like the ones pictured below:
