rful as Aladdin's, in a vista between pillars of chalcedony or onyx.
They came in the form of prayer rugs generally, and a pronounced feature
of those more commonly seen is a multiplicity of small dotted borders. The
older and finer examples show borderings of far more graceful and artistic
drawing.

The antique Koulahs and Koniahs, though not so finely woven, have mostly
the same superb centres or panels of solid colour as the Gheordez, and vie
with the latter in the splendour of their hues, if not in the delicacy and
intricacy of their designs outside the central field. The Koulahs may
generally be recognized by a narrow border, which is peculiar to
themselves and is almost invariably found on them. This consists of a
broken line of little tendrils or spirals quite Chinese in character, and
looking much like a row of conventionalized chips and shavings. It is so
odd and distinctive that once seen it can never be mistaken. The Koniahs
also have little figures which are quite their own, and which usually
appear somewhere in the central design. They are small flowers each on a
single stem, and the flower has commonly three triangular petals, like an
oxalis or shamrock leaf. It is quite unlike the blossoms which besprinkle
other rugs. With this, often come crude figures of lamps like miniature
tea-pots. The Ladiks display all the colours of an October wood, and
complete the group of Turkish old masters. Not a few of them have also a
unique border in the form of a small lily blossom. Experts speak of it
familiarly as the "Rhodian border," but its origin is altogether
obscure.

[Illustration:

PLATE VIII.
ANTIQUE KOULAH
_Prayer Rug_
FROM THE COLLECTION OF MR. GEORGE H. ELLWANGER
Size: 3.11 x 5.6]

These words in testimony to the beauties of Turkish rugs may be offered
simply by way of guide-posts to lead to some museum. A few battered and
torn war-flags of Gheordez or Ladiks are occasionally offered on the
market, but the best of them lack all character and colour, and show only
the bold design and holes and strings and naked warp.

Just which particular Turkish rugs are properly classed as Anatolians it
is hard to say, Anatolia being so large a province. The term as
commercially used is only as comprehensive and expressive as "Iran"
applied to the Persians. It is generally misapplied to an uncertain class
of old, worn, and tarnished remnants or new coarse prayer rugs, ruinous of
harmony with their mag