Antique Persian Bakhtiari Rug Size: 4'11" × 6'6" Date: 1930s Material: Wool on Cotton The Bakhtiari are a tribal confederation from the Zagros Mountains of west-central Iran, and their rugs are among the most visually lively in the Persian tradition. The garden panel layout — where the field is divided into a grid of individual compartments, each containing its own design — is their signature format. This example carries that layout with typical Bakhtiari energy. Each panel holds a different motif: cypress trees, flowering shrubs, geometric medallions, and stylized botanicals, all set against alternating ground colours of navy, red, and slate blue. No two panels repeat directly, which gives the rug a patchwork vitality that holds the eye. The crimson main border is filled with a continuous floral vine and bold corner rosettes that tie the composition together. The palette is rich — madder red, deep indigo, sky blue, ivory, olive green, and gold — and the wool pile is full and well-preserved for its age.