Uşak blue evil eye kilim rug - medium

A vintage masterwork with a very modern sensibility, this stunning rug blends a playful use of colour with powerful pattern play. Add warmth and fun to a bedroom or living room, or hang from the wall to admire as a piece of art.

Replete with symbolism, the one-of-a-kind rug is woven with motifs and patterns that carry powerful meaning. The design of large stepped diamond medallions contains eye-like forms that represent the evil eye, or nazarlik, a protective emblem that functions as a shield against the ancient curse of a malevolent glare. The wolf’s mouth, or kurt ağzi, guards against danger and harmful forces.

Kilim rugs carry the fingerprint of their maker, with each element from weave to geometric alignment, dye tones to decorative design, bearing the hallmarks of the region where the rug was made and the textile traditions of that area. Uşak, in western Turkey, was the historic centre of carpet-weaving in the Ottoman Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries. Kilim rugs from Uşak typically feature geometric or striped patterns crafted from hand-spun wool.

Kilim weaving was traditionally practised by women using techniques passed from mother to daughter, working without drawing boards or fixed templates, making each piece a unique expression of the maker’s artistry. While traditional kilim weaving is in decline and much of the generational knowledge is at risk of being lost, rugs are still being made today in the Uşak region.

Selected by the V&A, each piece has been sourced and professionally cleaned by a specialist partner.