This densely patterned woollen kilim (a flatweave rug) was woven by a settled Kurdish weaver in the Senneh region of northwest Iran (formerly Persia). The fineness of the tapestry weave and the use of curving wefts are characteristic of these lovely old Senneh kilims. Senneh kilims, especially those woven in the 1800s, are regarded as the finest in the region; their curved wefts are worked at an angle to the warp and produce a more curvilinear design. Although closely resembling Senneh carpets in appearance and design, these village rugs do not necessarily originate from Senneh however as they were also woven in the adjacent areas of Kurdistan.

The rug is part of a collection of five rugs and three nomadic trappings covering the main carpet making regions of Asia, from western Turkey across Iran into Central Asia. The collection was given to the Powerhouse Museum by Dr George Soutter to acknowledge the achievements of the Oriental Rug Society of NSW, an affiliated society of the Museum, to emphasise the significance of the Museum's rug collection and to encourage its growth. The collection, which includes floor coverings and tent partitions, horse decorations and saddle bags, documents different types of rugs and trappings and highlights their varying functions.

Christina Sumner, Curator Decorative Arts & Design, 2004