Vintage Arabic Calligraphy Prayer Rug: Hand-Knotted Wool Sajadah

This one-of-a-kind, hand-knotted prayer mat blends devotional art with collectible textile craftsmanship. A ruby red field holds a classical floral bouquet rising from a heart-shaped cartouche, framed by a bold calligraphic inscription in Arabic along the top end and a jewel-toned border. Compact, supple, and richly colored, it’s equally beautiful on the floor or displayed as a wall hanging.

Visual analysis & origin.
Closer photos of the back and side finish show individually tied knots on a cotton foundation with tidy overcast selvages and original warp fringes—clear signs of an authentic handmade rug, not a machine tuft. The saturated brick-red ground, blue/teal and ivory highlights, and the bouquet-in-vase composition with a gold calligraphic cartouche are hallmarks of late-20th-century workshop rugs woven in Pakistan for the wider Arabic market. Pieces of this type were commonly commissioned as prayer mats and commemorative gifts.

Knot structure & construction.
The reverse reveals compact, slightly rectangular knot impressions with two weft shoots between rows, consistent with asymmetrical (often called “Senneh”) knots on a cotton foundation, typical for Pakistani city/village workshops of the 1980s–1990s.

Age.
Dye saturation, mild tip-fade in high areas, and well-preserved fringes suggest circa 1985–1995. Colors read as modern synthetic dyes of the era (bright red, teal, lemon-gold).

Materials & handle.
Soft, resilient wool pile on cotton warp & weft. The pile is medium-low (≈6–7 mm), giving a velvety hand and crisp drawing.

Motifs & cultural notes.

Arabic inscription (blessing/devotional panel) across one end—a classic feature of prayer rugs used as sajadah/musalla.

Central floral bouquet with rosettes and stylized leaves symbolizes life, abundance, and paradise garden imagery common in Islamic art.

Guard borders with repeating boteh/rosette elements echo the garden theme and visually anchor the field.

Design theory (naqsha).
A single-ended layout emphasizes orientation for prayer: inscription panel at the head, centered floral tree rising from a heart cartouche, and rhythmic borders that frame and stabilize the composition.

Features:

Type: Hand-knotted wool prayer rug / small area rug

Origin: Pakistan (workshop production for Arabic market)

Age: c. 1985–1995 (vintage)

Size: 102 cm x 71 cm (approx 3’4” x 2’4”)

Pile / Foundation: Wool pile on cotton warp & weft

Knotting: Asymmetrical knots; double-wefted

Estimated knot density: ~90–120 KPSI (≈140–185k knots/m²)

Pile height: ~6–7 mm (medium-low)

Palette: Brick red, navy/indigo, teal, ivory, gold, soft green

Condition: Very good vintage—even pile with light age patina; minor fringewear and a few tiny specks/loom irregularities typical of handmade work. Clean, odor-free, lays flat.

Authentic Arabic calligraphy panel—striking as a wall textile

Rich, velvet-like wool sheen and crisp floral drawing

Compact size perfect for prayer, meditation, entryways, or layering

Fully finished edges & original fringes—ready to use or display

Care instructions

Vacuum weekly with suction only (no beater bar).

Rotate every 3–6 months for even wear and light exposure.

Blot spills immediately; for deeper cleaning use a trusted hand-knotted rug specialist.

If wall-hanging, use a sewn cotton sleeve or Velcro strip (avoid piercing the foundation).

Bring home a handmade original

Hand-knotted by skilled artisans and preserved in beautiful condition, this vintage calligraphy prayer rug adds meaning and color to any space. If you’d like a hanging sleeve sewn on before shipping, just let me know—I’m happy to help.