Antique Kazak Taus prayer rug with a dark-blue medallion, Tovuz District, Oysuzlu village, Azerbaijan. published at Siyawouch Azadi "Azerbaijani Caucasian rugs" plate no: 177. Size: 90 x 133 cm

A dark-blue medallion has been woven into the dark brownish-red central field. It has a projection at the top which makes up a prayer gable (tak). Underneath, we can see the prayer niche (mihrab). L. Kerimov reports that the four rectangles in the mihrab's four corners, the two beetle-like figures on the right and left sides of the prayer gable (tak) and the octagon constitute the seven spots that mark the seven parts of the body that touch the ground during the sojud (bending to the ground) of the daily prayer. The seven parts are the tip of the feet, both knees, both palms and the forehead. The octagon is the spot for the sacred stone (mohr) which has to be touched by the forehead. Faithful muslims are said to clearly show the stone's pressure mark on their foreheads. The main border on a light ground consists of an alternating row of cross-like motifs and a trunk with two branches. It could just as well be a tulip. Two stripes on a dark-blue ground with a simple row of lozenges enclose the main border.

Warps: wool, Z3S, beige

Wefts: wool, Z2, blackish brown

Knot Density: 25 x 40 = 1000 knots per square decimeter