C928. Afghan Baluch Rug, Oriental Rug, Runner - $145.00

Afghan Baluch rug, 2'3"x6'8", in runner configuration, done in mixed technique of knotted pile, weft float brocade (see below) and sumak flatweave construction (see below), c. 1950-60s. This piece, which Afghan dealers call berjiste, is a veritable sampler of Baluch weaving techniques. On the field are knotted pile panels and panels of sumak flatweave. The flatwoven end skirts display decoration executed in weft float brocade. The border system is done in knotted pile.

Weft float brocade decoration is accomplished by supplementary wefts that appear on the back of the textile as long running wefts in a mirror image of the design on the face of the textile.

Sumak is a flatweave technique wherein wefts wrap around several warps on the horizontal plane. Viewed from the back one can see the loose warp ends. The image above is a direct scan of sumak on both the face and the back of another rug.