AH 1305 (=1888 AD) dated Antique Shirvan boteh prayer rug, Azerbaijan, 120 x 153 cm. published Siawosch Azadi's Azerbaijani Caucasian Rugs, plate 98

The midnight blue central field shows a simple prayer niche design (mihrab) with a kind of gable (tagh). Hexagons with flamed contours are arranged in staggered rows, their colours creating diagonal stripeds. The yellow ground border is in fact an individualistic kufi border which appears to be conceived two dimensionally. At the same time, one can consider it as a variation of the bazubandi border (upper arm amulet band) or as a kufi border (shami).