Vintage Azilal Berber Rug
The honeycomb pattern seen in this vintage Azilal Berber rug continuously changes register as the weaving progresses. Becoming almost amorphous a third way up, it switches to a more regular cadence in its middle third, ending in a dynamic crescendo yet with a sudden break in between. It exemplifies the earliest group of Azilal weavings, distinguished by the exclusive use of undyed wool, irregular clusters of naturally coloured wefts and whimsical patterns of unique character.
The rugs from the Azilal region, located in the Moroccan central High Atlas, have been a relatively recent discovery. Distinguished by abstract, quasi-calligraphic patterns often on an ivory background, they differ from the white ground Middle Atlas carpets of the Beni Ouarain and the Beni Mguild essentially because of their floppy texture, which is closer to that of a flat-weave. The plethora of their design repertoire makes them among the most sought-after Berber rugs among discerning collectors. Some of their patterns exhibit striking modernity; others echo an archaic iconography linking them to the Berber people’s earliest manifestations.