Kars is a province in the far north east corner of Turkey about 45 miles from the border of Armenia. Rug weaving has been a tradition in the area as early as the 16th century. Kars was founded in the 8th century by the Armenians and became the capital or their kingdom. Kars has a long history of sieges and battles and was taken by the Ottomans in 1514. At the end of the Turkish Russian war in 1878 Kars fell to Russian rule for 40 years until it was taken back by Turkey in the early 1920's.
Kars today is inhabited by Turks, Kurds and Armenians. Most of the rugs woven in and around Kars use designs similar to the Caucasian Kazak, Karabagh & Kuba. These rugs are sometimes called "Kars Kazaks". They often have an Armenian influence with Shirvan patterns and cross motifs. Their designs are usually geometric and large scale with coarse wools.
Room size vintage Kars Home of Mark Thompson and Jay Draper, Owners of Shoppe Birmingham
