Made primarily for local, native use rather than commercial export, Kilims represent perhaps the most culturally authentic type of antique oriental carpets. This lovely Kelardasht Kilim from northern Persia is a masterpiece of such cultural expression. Woven on a narrow, nomadic ground loom, it is made of several discrete sections that were then sewn together with wool cabling. Since the striped design was composed by eye spontaneously, the various sections would never line up and so assume a staggered effect that animates the design along with the subtle gradations of tone and color. This Kilim literally pulsates with rippling energy, like an abstract modernist painting. It demonstrates the timeless, contemporary appeal of authentic tribal art.
