Vintage Moroccan Aït Sgougou Carpet AG01

A great antique example of a vintage Aït Sgougou Moroccan carpet with wool partially dyed from natural sources including cochineal. Most cochineal used to produce red dye was traded with the neighboring Zaiane due to the larger demand and considerable population. Palette also includes orange, grass and kelly green, salmon, mustard, ivory and black. The carpet exhibits dye lot shifts in the red field, and several pile height changes throughout. Has a slightly irregular shape, which does not detract from overall condition or character. 100% wool.

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tribe.

Aït Sgougou

A neighbor of the Beni M'Guild tribe, the Aït Sgougou produce a more rustic style of carpet often employing the use of the less labor intensive symmetric knot technique over the more traditional Berber knot. Due to shortages in wool during the early 1900's, this was a common practice amongst Berber weavers. The use of red dominates the fields of this tribe's carpets, showing the influence of the Zaiane tribe to the East, but the use of red weft shoots allows for differentiation. Many smaller carpets of the Ait Sgougou tribe were created by woman for their own use in the home as floor coverings.

tribe.Aït Sgougou
region.Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco
circa.1950's
dimensions.8'1" x 4'8" / 2.46m x 1.42m
pile height.Varies (low to medium)
fringe length.4"
condition.Good
rug no.AG01
rug no.