Prayer Rug, India or Pakistan, late 1800s. Neusteter Textile Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift from Stolper Gallery Ltd., 1987.23

Prayer Rug
Late 1800s or early 1900s
India or Pakistan
Cotton
Gift of Stolper Galley Ltd.
1987.23

For believers in Islam, a prayer rug is more than just a mat for praying; the rug’s design incorporates important Islamic symbols. Because most prayer rugs were made locally, their materials and weaving techniques differ, and patterns and colors vary from region to region. One constant is that these rugs are usually woven to include a representation of a mihrab, the niche in a mosque wall that points toward Mecca, the holy center of Islam.