Sumak (soumak) rugs are a flatweave with a difference. Instead of the simple over-and-under of a kilim, the coloured wefts are wrapped around the warp threads, building up a raised, slightly ribbed, brocade-like surface that is heavier and stronger than a plain flatweave. The technique takes its name from the Caucasian town of Shemakha, and the Caucasus remains its heartland.

Sumaks carry bold tribal designs — dragons, medallions and stylised animals — and their durability makes them practical as well as handsome.