AN ARRAIOLOS NEEDLEWORK RUG

The carpet offered here is part of a group of 17th and 18th century carpets woven in and around the town of Arraiolos in south central Portugal. Arraiolos weavers blended Ottoman and Safavid design elements with their own folk motifs creating a whimsical but well-designed work of art. For example, the basic medallion layout is derived from Persian prototypes, however the six-pointed star in the center is more Portuguese. The scrolled leaves in the main border are adapted from Persian prototypes but retain an indigenous flair. See de Oliveira, F. Baptista, Historia e Tecnica dos Tapetes de Arraiolos, Lisbon, 1991 for more information on Arraiolos weavings.