Description

Melas

These are small rugs, often in prayer format, made in and around the town of Melas in southwest Turkey, near the Aegean Sea. The pile is short for a village rug, the colors favor red, yellow, pistachio green and light blue. Production reached a quality peak in the 19^th century and all good ones predate 1900. Modern Melas work retains the same design motives but in a coarser and simplified manner. These are wholly commercial pieces and only the older ones are collectible.