Afghan Turkmen Ersari Filpai Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, Green Field, 9'10" X 6'7"

Details

Description

Forest green is an unusual ground color for an Afghan Turkmen rug —
most collectors see it and stop. The … Read more Forest green is an unusual ground color for an Afghan Turkmen rug —
most collectors see it and stop. The field of this hand-knotted Ersari
piece carries eight large octagonal medallions known as Fil Pai, or
elephant foot guls, arranged in two columns across a deep forest green
ground. Each medallion is rendered in crimson, midnight navy, ivory,
and warm amber, with radiating geometric arms that fill the space
between them with smaller motifs, arrow forms, and connecting
ornaments. The layered border — a dense geometric repeat in red,
navy, and green — frames the whole with quiet authority. In natural
light, the wool carries a luster that shifts the green from deep
olive to emerald depending on the angle. There is nothing subtle
about this rug, and that is exactly what makes it work.

What sets this piece apart is the rarity of its color. The vast
majority of Afghan Ersari rugs are woven on a red or dark navy
field. A green-ground Filpai of this scale — nearly ten feet by
six feet seven inches — is a genuine find. It pairs with dark
wood and leather in traditional interiors, holds its own against
contemporary neutrals, and brings immediate visual depth to any
room that needs an anchor. Interior designers consistently reach
for green-field tribal rugs when they want something that reads
as rare without being precious.

Dimensions: 9'10" x 6'7" / 302 x 204 cm
Place of Origin: Northern Afghanistan — Turkmen Ersari tradition
Pattern: Fil Pai (elephant foot) gul medallion repeat
Material: 100% hand-spun wool pile on cotton foundation
Dyes: Natural vegetable dyes — plant green, madder red, indigo blue
Weave: Hand-knotted, Afghan double-knot construction
Condition: Excellent — professionally hand-washed, ready to install
Stock No: 3738

The Ersari are one of the largest and oldest Turkmen tribes, and
the Fil Pai — meaning elephant foot in Persian — is among the most
ancient and recognizable of all Central Asian gul designs. Each
octagonal medallion is a tribal symbol, its precise geometry
transmitted from weaver to weaver across generations without
a written pattern. The green field in this piece suggests a
regional variation from the Jawzjan or Sheberghan provinces
of northern Afghanistan, where Turkmen artisans have long
worked with broader natural dye palettes.

This rug comes from a family with four decades of direct sourcing
experience in the weaving villages of northern Afghanistan. My
grandfather began trading Afghan Turkmen rugs on the streets of
Islamabad in the 1980s — a refugee who built a business from
nothing. My father carried that forward. Every piece I sell is
selected with firsthand knowledge of its tribal origin,
weaving region, and craftsmanship.

Care: Rotate periodically for even wear. Vacuum on low suction
without beater bar. Professional cleaning every few years.
A quality rug pad is recommended. See less