Eight-Lobed Star Medallion Ushak Carpet, Turkish, Ottoman period, 16th century. Wool, 170.2 x 104.1 cm. Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of James F. Ballard, 103:1929.

Star Ushaks are named for the large star-shaped medallions which alternate with smaller diamond patterns. Dark blue medallions are set against a red ground and both are filled with a variety of arabesques and floral elements. This carpet type and its many variations were woven in the western Anatolian (modern-day Turkey) town of Ushak, a center known for carpet weaving since the fifteenth century. The star design was very popular in the West and often appears in European paintings. It has been suggested that the small Star Ushaks, like this one, were ordered specifically for use in Transylvanian churches.