c1900s ANTIQUE DECORATIVE ZIEGLER MAHAL RUG 8.9x12.9
The town of MAHALLAT is located southwest of Arak in the Providence of Markad. Mahallat is not only famous for its rugs and carpets, but also for its mineral springs. Every year, people from all around Iran visit these springs for their healthful benefits. The Mahallat water site is situated 260 kilometers(162 Miles) southwest of Tehran within the city of Mahallat. The mineral water of the Mahallat water site has a temperature of 48 centigrade, and each liter contains 53.5 milligrams of salts such as chlorine, selenium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. It is unique in the world in terms of hydrotherapy, and is effective for the treatment of hepatic, renal, and alimentary diseases as well as gout, some forms of dermatitis, rheumatism and osteo-arthritis. The mineral water is odorless, colorless and completely translucent. Mahallat also has some of the best travertine stone in the world. There are many mines all around the city. The majority of these mines export stone to Europe, especially to Italy. In reference to physical characteristics, Mahal (Mahallat) rugs and carpets are found with both tribal and curvilinear motifs. This attribute derives from the unique position of the city of Mahallat, which is between the cities of Arak and Delijan which are both tribal towns. Also, these pieces have Kurdish and Turkish influences. Many Mahal carpets have all-over scrolling vine and large palmetto designs-a pattern influenced by Shah Abbas period carpets and are often referred to as such. Furthermore, in pieces from Mahallat the Mahi, Herati, or "fish" design is used which features a rosette surrounded by four leaves inside a diamond-shaped medallion as well as a floral pattern which is surrounded by a fish pattern repeated throughout entire field of the piece. The quality of Mahal rugs is average with an exception to some of the older pieces that are woven in silk. Even though they have loose knots, the structure is strong, and they are all vegetable-dyed. These pieces come in different sizes, but the majority of them are mid-sized ranging with dimensions from 4x 6 to 8x10 feet. You can also find larger pieces up to 10x18 feet. The colors used are primarily dark reds and khakis while the borders tend to be blue. Mahal(Mahallat) rugs and carpets are made of a very soft and lustrous wool and have a thin, tight pile which is double wefted. The warp is made mostly cotton while the weft is made of either cotton or wool.Weavers in Mahallat use both Turkish and Persian knots. If you want to create a style that makes a statement with a Mahal's adventuresome demeanor, stick with these aspiring colors and intricate designs to emphasize what you mean.
