Prayer Rug with Garden Imagery

Although prayer rugs are functional objects used in the Islamic world for daily ritual, they may also be richly expressive works of art. In this prayer rug, the main field includes stylized floral patterns, water vases, and a central tree, recurring symbols in Islamic art that reference the Garden of Paradise described in the Qur’an (Koran).

During prayer, the arch design on the top of the field is oriented toward the Ka’ba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site and the focal point for daily prayers. The arch on the rug echoes the mihrab, an arched niche in mosques that indicates the direction of Mecca.