Posted by Fred Mushkat on July 27, 1999 at 07:04:36:
It appears to me that the 'bumping and shoving" of the design elements (particularly the cruciform medallions in the third row from the bottom)is an attempt by the weaver to create a three dimensional effect to the field. If your first photograph of the rug shows the bottom of the weaving at the bottom of the photo, it also appears that the weaver abandoned the layering effect as she progressed with the rest of the rug.