Ashan runner from the Shirvan district Caucasus

This wool and cotton Afshan rug is from the Kuba region of the northern Caucasus. The term Afshan refers to a particular design, derived from 17th and 18th century Persian and Indian floral and arabesque sources, rather than a group of people or a geographical area. Rugs like this one were made throughout most of the 19th century and possibly earlier, and sit within the broader category of Shirvan rugs.

Carpet weaving in the Caucasus has a long history, the earliest known group being the so-called 'dragon' rugs which date back to the 17th century. The Afshan design is related in structure and colour to dragon rugs, and is in turn an obvious design source for many later Shirvan rugs.

This rug belongs to a collection of five rugs and three nomadic trappings covering the main carpet making regions of Asia, from western Turkey across Iran (Persia) into Central Asia. The collection was given to the Powerhouse Museum by Dr George Soutter to acknowledge the achievements of the Oriental Rug Society of NSW, an affiliated society of the Museum, to emphasise the significance of the Museum's rug collection and to encourage its growth. The collection, which includes floor coverings and tent partitions, horse decorations and saddle bags, documents different types of rugs and trappings and highlights their varying functions.