This is a rare Beshir rug dating to about 1850 -1880  featuring a design pattern variously known as  a “serpent (yylan) pattern,” “dragon pattern,” or “cloud pattern”. The design is clearly of Chinese origin. It is quite unusual to it see in a Beshir carpet but the main border with a distinctive chain of hexagons or octagons is characteristically Beshir. The rug features an all-over repeating pattern of sinuous, S-curved or serpentine forms that undulate across a rich red field overlaid with deep navy/indigo blue. This design has a fascinating and complex history, representing one of the most ancient and widely-travelled patterns in Asian decorative arts. It ultimately derives from Chinese dragon and cloud scoll motifs that are thousands of years old. These motifs represented cosmic forces and the interaction of yin and yang. As the design travelled westwards along the Silk Road it was reinterpreted as a snake pattern. Snakes in Central Asian and nomadic cultures symbolised water and fertility, and protection and guardianship. Similar serpentine designs also appear in Caucasian rugs as dragon and phoenix designs but it is unclear if these developed independently.