Sonqor and Koliai is a county in Kermanshah Province in western Iran. If we imagine Hamadan, Kermanshah, and Sanandaj as the three points of a triangle, Sonqor and Koliai sits near the centre of that triangle, in the northeast of Kermanshah Province.
The name Koliayi refers to the Kurdish-speaking Koliai tribes who lived west of Sonqor. This Kurdish part of the region took its name from the Koliai tribe and became known as Koliai.
The Koliai people have long been known for producing rural Kurdish-style rugs, considered among the most beautiful and durable Kurdish weavings.
This beautiful Koliai rug was woven around 60 years ago using hand-spun wool and traditional dyes. It features a medallion design, symmetrical knots, and a double-wefted structure, and it was woven in the distinctive *kallegi format.
What makes this rug especially fascinating is that the more closely you look, and each time you return to it, the more new forms and symbolic connections you begin to discover among its motifs and the way the design is arranged.
Birds and roosters, boteh motifs, lion and sun, crowns, talismanic forms, the tree of life, grotesque figures, and many other elements appear throughout the design. Each one can carry multiple interpretations and layers of meaning.
Among all these motifs, two animal figures in part of the field stand out most 🦊. They are most likely inspired by foxes, though the weaver may have intended another animal, perhaps one with its own particular story and meaning. What is clear, however, is that their design and placement reflect the weaver’s own hand, taste, and personal imagination.
The colour palette follows the long-standing weaving tradition of the Koliai region, combining navy, deep burgundy, brown, and red tones that are often dark and intense. These colours give the rug its powerful attraction, memorable presence, and unmistakable character.
*A "Kalegi" (or Kellegi) is a traditional Persian and Caucasian rug format, classically woven for extra-wide hallways, long rooms, and grand entryways.
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Materials: Hand-knotted wool pile on a cotton foundation
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Age: Circa 1970s
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Size: 4' 4" x 11' 2" (133 x 340 cm)
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Thickness: 11 mm
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Vegetable-dyed
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Origin: Sonqor and Koliayi, Persia
- Condition: Excellent full pile condition, ready to enjoy for everyday use
