Gördes Prayer Carpet with Columns on Blue Ground

A traditional Islamic prayer rug is designed with an arched niche representing the "mihrab" or alcove in the wall of a mosque. During prayer, this architectural element orients worshippers toward the holy city of Mecca (in present-day Saudi Arabia). On these rugs, the arch is often supported by two columns and sometimes decorated with a lamp hanging from its highest point. This particular rug transforms these traditional elements into decorative ornamentation. What once had been a lamp has become a stylized floral spray, hovering in the center of the arch. Columns no longer support the arch but terminate with flowers at either end. The white ground in the border highlights the darker reds and blues, a result of using cotton. Most rugs were made only of wool, which could not achieve the same luster.