Vintage Egyptian Village Scene Kilim – 4’0” x 2’8” (122 x 82 cm) – Handwoven Wool Flatweave Tapestry Rug with Camels, Boats & Palm Trees

Bring the warmth of an old Nile-side village into your home with this beautifully handwoven storytelling kilim. Worked entirely in wool, this vintage flatweave captures daily life among palm trees, mud-brick houses, boats and animals in a soft, earthy palette that sits effortlessly in modern interiors.

Whether you hang it as a wall tapestry or use it as a small accent rug, this piece adds not just color and texture, but a full narrative scene that invites you to look closer every time you pass by.

This charming textile is a vintage Egyptian village-scene kilim, likely woven in the mid–late 20th century (around the 1960s–1980s) in a workshop or village cooperative producing pictorial flatweaves for home decoration and export.

The design shows a lively rural riverside settlement: tall date palms, domed granaries and clustered mud houses line the horizon, while two sailboats glide across the river. In the foreground, robed villagers stand among grazing camels, goats and donkeys. Stylized figures in black with orange hems, turbans picked out in white, and muted houses in sandy beige, soft grey, terracotta and olive tones create a distinctive North-African ambience.

Technically, this is a weft-faced flatweave (tapestry kilim): there is no pile. The colored wool wefts completely cover the warps and are packed tightly to build the image, with slit-tapestry joins where colors meet. The back shows neat, short color changes and some overlapping wefts – a clear sign of genuine handwork, not a machine-loomed piece.

The foundation appears to be undyed cotton warps with hand-spun to semi-hand-spun wool wefts. The palette of warm sands, camel, soft stone grey, muted rust and olive greens with accents of black and ember orange suggests early synthetic dyes blended to mimic natural shades – typical of mid-century decorative kilims from this region.

Structurally the rug is sound and nicely balanced. Both fringed ends are intact with original cotton warp tassels, only lightly softened with age. The field shows no visible repairs, holes or tears in the photos; wear is minimal and even, with only the gentle softening of wool one expects from a well-kept vintage textile. Colors appear stable and mellow, not harsh or overly bright.

Because of its pictorial nature and flat construction, this piece is ideal as a wall hanging, over a console, above a sofa, on a stair landing, or at the foot of a bed. It also works as a floor accent in a low-traffic area or layered over a larger neutral rug in a boho or Mediterranean-inspired space.

Features:

Type: Handwoven pictorial kilim / tapestry flatweave

Origin: Egypt / North Africa, village or cooperative weaving

Design: Nile-side village scene with boats, animals, palm trees & mud-brick houses

Estimated age: Vintage, approx. 40–60 years (c. 1960s–1980s)

Size: 122 cm x 82 cm (approx. 4’0” x 2’8”) – excluding very small fringe variation

Construction: Weft-faced flatweave, slit-tapestry technique

Knot structure: No pile; pattern created by interlocking and slit tapestry wefts rather than knots

Weave density: Medium–fine village flatweave (approx. 30–40 weft rows per 10 cm, estimated from close-ups)

Materials:

Foundation: Likely cotton warps

Wefts: Hand-woven wool yarn

Dyes: Mixed palette of soft, likely synthetic dyes in earthy tones

Pile height: Flat (virtually zero pile)

Condition:

Overall: Very good vintage condition

Ends & fringes: Original fringes present, minor age-related fraying in places

Surface: Light, even age patina; no obvious holes, major stains or visible repairs in the images

Sides: Straight and stable with only small, expected irregularities from handweaving

(All assessments are based solely on visual inspection of the photographs.)

Storytelling village scene with camels, goats, donkeys, villagers and sailboats – a full miniature landscape woven in wool.

Authentic vintage Egyptian kilim, not a modern print or machine copy.

Soft, earthy color palette of sand, stone grey, camel, olive and ginger with subtle orange and black accents – easy to style with contemporary decor.

Versatile use: works beautifully as a wall hanging, tapestry, sofa back, bed foot accent or small area rug.

Lightweight flatweave that can be hung with a simple rod sleeve, clips or a Velcro strip on a board.

Ethnographic charm: domed granaries, palm trees and traditional dress give it strong regional character and conversation-piece value.

Eco-friendly natural fibers: wool wefts on cotton foundation – breathable, durable and biodegradable.

Care Instructions

Because this is a vintage handwoven wool flatweave, gentle care will keep it beautiful for many years:

Vacuum lightly on a low-suction setting or with a handheld nozzle, ideally using only the suction (no rotating brush) and vacuuming in the direction of the weave.

Avoid soaking or machine washing. For small spots, blot immediately with a clean white cloth and a little cold water; if needed, use a drop of mild wool detergent. Do not rub hard.

Professional cleaning: For overall cleaning, use a professional rug cleaner experienced with flatweaves and pictorial textiles.

Sunlight: Prolonged direct sun can fade colors; rotate the rug periodically or hang it away from intense sunlight.

Storage: If storing, roll (do not fold) with the design facing inward, wrap in a breathable cotton sheet, and keep in a dry, ventilated place away from moths (you can add natural repellents like cedar).

As a wall hanging: Use a rod, sleeve, or Velcro attached to a support board to distribute weight evenly and avoid distortions.


This vintage Egyptian village kilim is more than a decorative accent – it’s a woven snapshot of riverside life, full of quiet movement and warm human detail. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind piece that combines art, history and handcrafted texture, this tapestry will quickly become the focal point of your room.