Karadja Rugs
Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Persia
Karadja village is located on the edge of the Heriz district and has a true specialization: squarish scatter rugs ,averaging 5’x6’ with characteristic medallions amid a scatter of minor ornaments , almost always on a dark blue or red/rust ground with “ turtle” design border .The dark blue field always comes with a red / rust border and vise versa.
The knots are always symmetric ( Turkish ).The foundation is cotton with a single weft and flat back , with a recumbent ¼” pile .The weave quality is about 60-80 knots per square inch , like a standard Heriz .Few Karadjas are old, most dating from 1920’s or later .Village looms tend to be small and only a few carpets 8’x10 to 9’x12’ or larger in the iconic pattern and colours are available.
Before Karadjas there were Karadaghs , employing the same design vocabulary , but with a greater variety of medallions on Navy grounds , in runner formats .Here the foundation may be wool or cotton .The pile wool quality is higher , more like a Caucasian rug , and weave is finer .The rugs are from slightly further north, nearer the border with the Caucuses.
However , the designs of all of these are very much alike and although replete with charming folk details , they must be part of a large scale production from around 1850 to the early 20th century .A few Karadaghs are on yellow grounds ,fewer still on red or ivory .In both Karadja and Karadagh rugs the dyes are good , but the palette is narrow dominated by dark blue ,seconded by ivory and with details in red and greens .Karadagh sizes average 3’4” x 10’ and virtually no runners are under the three foot width.
Karadjeh 
