Vintage Kurdish Herki rug from Iraq. 363×93 cms

A vintage Herkki Kurdish kilim woven with a beautiful range of pink, purple, etc. colors and with a heavy handdle, so it will resist well in areas with a lot of traffic and passage.

Material: 100% hand-spun sheep wool              

Size: 363×93 cms

Origin: Kurdish Herki, Iraq

Date of weaving: 1970s

Herki, also spelled Harki (Kurdish: Herkî ,ھەرکی‎) is a large tribe in Kurdistan. The largest part of this tribe live in Iraqi Kurdistan and a significant number live in Iranian Kurdistan. They are also found in Northern Kurdistan.

The Herkis lived mostly a nomadic life with their herds; however, this changed a lot after 1920 and the Treaty of Sèvres. The new hand-drawn borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey hindered Kurdish tribes to continue their way of life.

In 1989 they counted some 20,000 people, living between Urmia and Rawanduz, one of the largest remaining groups of pastoral herders. On their regular movement they brought salt from Iran to Iraq and carried wheat and barley back to Iran.

The Herkis were a very well-armed tribe, and were noted to be good warriors and fierce men. Some of their women would occationally be seen fighting alongside men.