Anatolian prayer rug / "sajjadeh", 16-17th centuries, Ottoman Turkey. the National Museum – the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures, Prague, Czech Republic

This extraordinary example of a prayer carpet can be characterized as a masterpiece because of its outstanding decoration. In the central part a stylised house is shown. The house portal is shaped as a key-hole inside which a life tree with ten branches is situated. The motif of the key-hole refers to the so called Bellini type carpets, named after Gentile Bellini, the painter born in Venice in the 15th century. The whole decoration is peaked with cartouches above the portal and plant tendrils towering up as incense scent.

Materials: wool
Measurements: Width 85 cm Length 106 cm
Time period: AD 16th century ~ AD 17th century
Acquisition: In 1994 it was donated by Mr. Rainer Kreissl (1924-2006), a German collector, born in the Czech Republic. He collected carpets and killims from 1940s
Copyright: The National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic


Owner: State property, the Czech Republic
Museum: National Museum; Nàprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures
Courtesy the National Museum – the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures, Prague, Czech Republic