History of Handmade Rugs

The art of rug making reaches back into pre-history. It was first made to cover the animals and was also used as a blanket and then to cover the floor. The majority of pieces available today at dealers, auctions, antique shops, department stores and even museums are mostly products of the 19th and 20th century.

In the mountainous regions of the East stretching from Turkey through Persia and Central Asia into China, where the fleece of the sheep and the hair of the camel and goat grow long and fine, the art of carpet-weaving reached its height early in the 16th century. The artisan worked on a handloom consisting essentially of two horizontal beams on which the warp (the vertical threads) was stretched; on the lower one the finished carpet was rolled while the warp unrolled from the upper one.

From Stone-Age man who dressed in the hides and pelts of animals it was only a matter of time before wool was obtained by fleecing. Next probably came a rudimentary form of weaving using twisted strands laid side-by-side and interspersed with similar cross running strands. Later the knot was invented.

Modern Oriental Rugs are woven the same way as they have been for thousands of years. Pile rugs, the most common of Oriental rugs combine weaving and knotting. Rows of silk and or wool knots are tied on a foundation usually of cotton. These rows of knots become the pile of the carpet.

Unfortunately very little is known about the earliest examples of knotted rugs. A small number of these have been preserved in museums and private collections, but the sadly the vast majority of older rugs have disappeared.

Some Facts

The survival of the earliest knotted rug, the Pazyryk carpet, is owed to the Siberian ice in the Altai Mountains near the outer Mongolian border. This rug, discovered by Soviet archaeologist S.I. Rudenko in 1949, was covered by ice in a burial chamber and had been preserved that way for over 2500 years. The Pazyryk carpet is of unknown origin, measuring roughly 6 by 5 feet woven with the Turkish knot. The design is of a dominant tile-work central motif surrounded by borders featuring rows of elk and horsemen.

Another rug found in the same area, this time with a Senneh knot, dates to the first century B.C. But, long before that historical records show that the court of Cyrus the Great, who founded the Persian monarchy over 2,500 years ago, was bedecked by magnificent carpets. Classical tales recount how Alexander the Great found carpet of a very fine fabric in Cyrus tomb.

On the rock tombs of Beni Hassan, Egypt, c.2500 B.C., men are depicted with the implements of rug weaving. Other evidence of the early use of rugs is seen in the drawings on the ancient palace walls of Nineveh.

As early as the Eighth Century B.C., wealthy families frequently adorned their homes with magnificent rugs. The great period of creativity in rug making took place in Persia Safaviieh Dynasty (1499-1722) under the reigns of Shah Tahmasp and Shah Abbas. From this period came the most glorious and outstanding rugs of historic significance.

Tabriz, Kashan, Herat, and Kerman became busy centers of rug production. An interesting fact is that the art of rug weaving flourished in the 15th Century in Persia and Turkey. Followed by India early in the 16th Century and China in the 17th Century. Even though weaving was common to all humanity, the end result of each ethnic group was quite different. This theme of recurring ideas was coined Volkergedanken by German ethnologist Adolf Bastian (1826-1905).

Age and Condition

Age

The age attribute specifies how old a rug is. There are three major timelines: Antique, Semi-antique and Contemporary (New). Although according to the US and Canada Customs laws a rug must be at least 100 years old to be considered an antique, but the age of a hand made rugs is categorized as follow:

• Antique Rug : Rugs over 60 years old are considered antique.
• Semi-antique Rug : Rugs between 25 to 60 years old are considered semi-antique.
• Contemporary or New Rug : Rugs less than 25 years old are considered contemporary.

Sometimes the date of creation is woven into the rug.

Condition

The condition of a rug is an important element because it affects the beauty and value of the rug. Handmade rugs are classified according to their overall condition. In the handmade rug industry these conditions are Superior, fine, average and worn.

Knot Styles

Pile-woven or knotted rugs are created by knots. Most handmade rugs with the exception of kelims are woven by tying knots on the warp strands. There are different methods by which knots are created. The two predominant types of knots are Symmetrical (Turkish or Ghiordes) and Asymmetrical (Persian or Senneh). There are some other kinds of knots as well such as Jufti and Tibetan. The Turkish knot is sturdier than the Persian knot, but produces a less fine weave. The Turkish knot can be found in almost all village or nomad carpets in Persia. The Persian knot with very few exceptions is used only in carpets woven in the larger cities of Persia.

Symmetrical (Turkish or Ghiorde) Knot
The symmetrical knot is used in Turkey, the Caucasus and Iran by Turkish and Kurdish tribes. It is also used in some European rugs. To form this knot, yarn is passed over two neighboring warp strands. Each end of the yarn is then wrapped behind one warp and brought back to the surface in the middle of the two warps.
Asymmetrical (Persian or Senneh) Knot
The asymmetrical knot is used in Iran, India, Turkey, Egypt and China. To form this knot, yarn is wrapped around one warp strand and then passed under the neighboring warp strand and brought back to the surface. With this type of knot a finer weave can be created.
Jufti Knot
The jufti knot can be seen in rugs of Khorasan, Iran. This knot can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical. The knot is usually tied over four warps making the weaving process faster.
Tibetan Knot
In Tibet, a distinctive rug-weaving technique is used. A temporary rod which establishes the length of pile is put in front of the warp. A continuous yarn is looped around two warps and then once around the rod. When a row of loops is finished, then the loops are cut to construct the knots.
Knot Density
Knot density refers to the number of knots per square inch in a handmade rug. It is measured by counting the number of knots per linear per inch along the warp and weft (you can see it in the back of the rug) and then multiply the numbers. Knot density is a factor in the value of rug in a fine rug. However in Nomadic and some village rugs, the density is not considered as a factor.
Zar, Gereh and Radj
In the Old Iranian measurement system one Zar was equal to 104 Centimeter in length and it was divided by 16 segments of 6.5 Centimeters called Gereh. And a Radj is a knot. Today in Iran's bazaar the density of a rug was measured by counting the number of knots in one Gereh (the knots in 6.5 Cm). For example, a rug with 65 Radj means a rug with 65 knots in 6.5 centimeters and brings it to almost 25 knots in one inch (1 inch is equal to 2.53 Cm or 25.3 Millimeter). That actually means that this particular rug had about 625 (25 x 25) knots per square inch.

Layout and Pattern

Layout in a rug means the arrangement of all motifs and or objects woven in it. Motif is a form or a related forms making part of the design. Rugs may be distinguished through three main layouts of All-Over, Medallion and One-Sided:

Pattern

Pattern is one of the most helpful elements in narrowing down rug selection. We could define pattern as the way lines are used to form shapes on a rug.

Pattern is divided into three categories of Curvilinear, Geometric, and Pictorial. The first two refer to rugs with conventional motifs that are woven with curving lines (curvilinear) or straight lines (geometric). Pictorial refers to rugs which portray people and/or animals. Also, we might even find a rug that consists of both curving and straight lines; we categorize such a rug according to the most dominant type of lines used in creating its design.

Materials, Dyes, and Tools

Materials

The materials used in genuine Persian and Oriental rugs are chiefly wool or silk knotted onto a cotton or wool or silk foundation. Sheep wool is a natural fiber commonly used in carpet making, although in some cases goat hair or camel hair is used as well. The breed and age of the sheep, the season when sheared, the climate and surrounding environment are all factors that determine the quality of wool. These qualities are its thickness, texture and color. Sheep from mountain regions have longer fleece. Winter fleece produces thicker and heavier wool, while spring fleece is softer and finer. Lambs aged 8 to 14 months produce some of the finest wool called "kork".

Dyes

The process of changing the natural color of materials such as wool, silk, and cotton is called dyeing. There are two types of dyes: "Natural Dyes" and "Synthetic Dyes".


Natural Dyes : Until the late nineteenth century only natural dyes were used for coloring weaving yarns. Natural dyes include Plant Dyes, Animal Dyes, and Mineral Dyes. Plant Dyes come from roots, flowers, leaves, fruit, and bark of plants. The art of dyeing has had a tradition of prestige and mystery. Practically every family has its own special formula, which is carefully guarded and passed on through generations.

Synthetic Dyes : Aniline dye, Fuchsine (a magenta aniline), was invented in the mid 19th century. Synthetic aniline dyes made from coal tar were brilliant, inexpensive, and easy to use; however, they faded rapidly with exposure to light and water. In early 20th century chrome dyes were developed. They are colorfast and do not hurt the wool. The need for easy-to-use and less expensive dyes with wider range of colors caused the development of synthetic dyes in Europe and especially in Germany.

Today, mostly chrome synthetic dyes are used for coloring weaving yarns. Natural dyes are used in places where they are easily obtainable. Sometimes the two are combined together in the same rug, and the weavers use the best type of dye available to them. In some cases they can find good quality dyes in nature, and in other cases they get better results from the synthetic dyes.

Tools

There are different tools being used in this industry by common weavers such as looms, design plate, knife, scissors, spindle, hook and comb.


A loom is a frame, which holds the rug together while it is being woven. The most common looms are "Horizontal Looms" and "Vertical Looms".

Horizontal Looms : these looms are part of the Nomad heritage. Carpets made on these looms are unusually sturdy. The Nomadic horizontal loom is portable and dismantles easily. Its size limits the finished carpet size to a width of four or five feet.

Vertical Looms : A much finer weave is possible on a vertical or upright loom. Vertical looms are specific to village and workshop rugs, and their assembly is more complicated than horizontal looms.

Fixed Loom, Tabriz Loom and Roller Beam Loom are other kinds of vertical looms being used today.

Sizes, Shapes, and Colors

Handmade rugs are made in different sizes and shapes. Since most handmade rugs are Rectangular, only this shape rug has been assigned standard sizes. Other shapes include Runner, Round, Oval, Square, and some Odd Shapes.

Size is a very important factor in pricing a handmade rug. The length and width of rugs can be expressed in both the British Imperial System (feet and inches) and the Metric System (meters and centimeters). Likewise, the area of the rug is calculated in square feet in the British Imperial System and in square meters in the Metric System.

Sizes and Shapes

The following is a list of different rug shapes and methods of measurement used for each one.

Rectangular : Rectangular rugs, also called regular rugs, are the most common rugs in the world and come in a variety of sizes. Therefore, standard sizes have been assigned to rectangular rugs in order to make rug selection an easier process. Two sets of standard sizes exist, the Imperial British standard and the Metric standard. Below, on the left, we have a list of standard sizes in the Imperial system, and on the right, a list of the Metric standard sizes.

British Imperial System (ft x ft) : Width x Length

2 x 3 2 x 4 3 x 5 4 x 6 5 x 7 5 x 8

6 x 9 7 x 10 8 x 10 9 x 12 10 x 13 10 x 14

12 x 15 12 x 18 13 x 20 14 x 21

Runners : Runners are the second most common shape of rug. They are very long and narrow rectangular rugs. Most runners in today's market are between 2.5 to 3 feet wide and 6 to 20 feet long, and in some cases even longer. They are used as coverings for hallways, stairways, and entrances.

Round Rugs : The length and width are equal in a round rug, and they are the same as the diameter of the rug, so when looking for a round rug, look for sizes such as 4x4, 8x8, etc. Round rugs are unique and rare. The oldest round rug is a sixteenth-century Mamluk, Egypt. In the past 40 years, round rugs have become more popular and are now woven in Iran, China and India.

Oval Rugs : Oval rugs are unique and rare in shape. Therefore, no standard sizes have been established for them. However, oval rugs are measured in the same fashion as rectangular rugs. Oval rugs are similar to round rugs in their history and design.

Square Rugs : Square rugs are very unique and rare. As their name implies, they have equal width and length. Therefore, when looking for a square rug, look for sizes such as 4x4, 8x8, etc. Square rugs are an ideal fit for square rooms.

Odd Shapes : At times, you will encounter hexagonal, octagonal or even triangular rugs. They are mostly rarities rather than the rule.

Color

Color is more important than design because it is by color contrast that design is created, whether that work of art is a black-and-white portrait or a colorful handmade rug. In handmade rugs, colorful motifs are woven into the rug against the solid color in the background and the border, creating even more incredible color contrast. All handmade rugs are identified by their Background Color and Border Color.

Colors are also an important factor in determining the origin of handmade rugs.

Background Color : This is the dominant color in the background of the rug. Background color is the underlying color of the entire rug with the exception of the border. In some cases, however, the background and the border color are the same. The most widely used background colors are red, blue, beige, and yellow. These colors come in various shades and hues.

Border Color : In many rugs, the border color is not as readily distinguished as the background color. One reason is that there are always colorful designs and patterns in the border of the rug, and hence they overshadow the actual border color. Major border colors are red, blue, beige, yellow, and green.

Color Symbolism

In the East, colors have symbolic values. Traditional and religious meanings of colors sometimes affect the choice of colors used in handmade rugs. Green, for example, is considered by Muslims to be a holy color; therefore, until the end of 19th century, it was mainly used in prayer rugs. However, at the end of the 19th century, in order to comply with Western taste, numerous decorative rugs containing green were produced for exportation. Red, the most widely used rug color, means happiness and joy. Yellow and gold are Chinese royal colors and symbolize wealth and power. Dark blue signifies solitude. White is symbol of mourning, peace, and purity in Persia, China, and India, and brown, the color of earth, symbolizes harvest and fertility. Today, however, as stated above, because of exportation, color symbolism is not observed to the same extent, but it can still be seen, mostly in rugs produced for local use.

Styles, Countries, and Cities

Style and Producers

Style is the way different motifs (a form or a related forms making part of the design) colors and patterns give some characters to a rug. Many styles or sub-styles may be made in their place of origin as well as different countries or areas.

Persian    To look at a Persian carpet is to gaze into a world of artistic magnificence nurtured for more than 2,500 years. When we think of Persian rugs, we usually think of intricate curvilinear designs; however, Persian styles are the most diverse styles worldwide. There are many different Persian styles woven in Iran and other countries such as India, Pakistan, China, and some European countries. Some well-known Persian styles include Ardabil, Bakhtiari, Bijar, Esfahan, Hamadan, Heriz, Kashan, Kerman, Nain, Qum, Shiraz and Tabriz.

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Afghanistan     In Afghanistan rugs are still made mainly by the nomadic tribes. Afghanistan's production of Oriental Rugs is limited to geometric and tribal designs, the most common being the Bohkara/Turkemon.     The antique Afghani Turkemon used natural dyes and the red color can be similar to an antique Herez. The modern Turkemon is a more true red. Belouchistan is another very common Afghani rug. Most Afghani rugs are made on a wool foundation whereas Persian & Pakistani Bohkara's are woven on a cotton foundation.     Rugs from Afghanistan tend to be quite stylized with a limited number of colors. The Afghan guls and the Ersari are similar to the "Bokhara" in pattern and color and are the basis for most Afghanistan rugs. Another popular type of rug from Afghanistan is the Belouch, which is made primarily by nomadic tribesmen.     Some Afghan-style rugs go through a process called "gold washing" in which the original red color is chemically changed to shades of gold, coral, and amber. The effect is quite pleasing and often adds to the value of the carpet. To determine if a rug has undergone this procedure, spread the pile to expose the knots, which will remain unbleached and red.

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Chinese     Unlike most oriental rugs, the motifs on Chinese rugs do not unite in order to create one design; they stand-alone. Also, unlike most oriental rugs, Chinese designs are very literal rather than decorative; most motifs have very exact meanings. Some Chinese sub-styles include Ningxia, Baodou, Gansu, Peking, Mongolia and Aaubusson (French design).     Chinese rugs were influenced by Persian styles from the early eighteenth century until the mid-nineteenth century, and after the mid-nineteenth century, Chinese weavers adapted some of their designs to the western taste such as Aaubusson (French design).

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Turkoman     Nomadic weavers of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and the province of Khorassan in northeast Iran produce Turkoman rugs. The layout is generally all-over and gol, which means flower in Persian are repeated in rows with usually smaller gols of similar, but not exact, geometric design (minor gols, which means flowers) in between the rows of major gols.

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Caucasian     Caucasian rugs are woven by tribal weavers of the region south of Russia, near the Caucasus Mountains, between the Black and Caspian Seas. This area includes the countries of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Some Caucasian styles include the Kazak, Karabagh, Gendje, Talish, Shirvan, Baku, Kuba and Daghestan. Caucasian rugs have been influenced by Persian, Anatolian, Turkoman and Chinese styles.

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European     Unlike most oriental rugs that are woven for everyday use by the weavers themselves or for sale in local or foreign markets, European rugs have been mainly custom-made and designed by famous designers of the time. European rug styles are unique in that they have mirrored the arts of different European periods such as paintings and architecture.     The influence of William Morris, Art Nouvea, and Art deco can also be seen in English rugs of these periods, and Donegal designs of Ireland echo geometric designs of the 20th-century abstract art. Some of the significant rug weaving centers of Europe have been Spain, France, England, and Ireland.

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Tibetan     The distinguishing characteristics of Tibetan rugs are their vivid colors, huge and few motifs, and relatively plain and dominant backgrounds. The background colors are usually blue, black, red, orange, and less frequently yellow or ivory. The designs are strongly influenced by Chinese and East Turkestan styles and can either be geometric or curvilinear.

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Indian     Rug weaving was introduced to India during the sixteenth century at the time of the Moghul Emperor Akbar. Many of the workshops were under the supervision of Iranian weavers. Consequently, Indian designs were strongly influenced by those of Iran. The rug-making industry of India is based around the towns of Kashmir, Amritsar, Jaipur, Agra, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Kharmariah and Ellora.

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Baluchi     Baluchi rugs are mainly woven by Baluchi tribal weavers in southwest of Pakistan, southheast of Iran and west of Afghanistan. Baluchi rugs are mainly geometric. The Blauchi tree-of-life prayer rug is the most well known of all Baluchi designs. Herat Baluchi rugs are made in Afghanistan and are mainly prayer rugs. The Mashad Baluchi rugs are made in Iran and are generally all-over repeats.

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North African     One of the more significant North African styles is the Moroccan. Prior to the 19th century no Moroccan rugs have been found. A unique characteristic of Moroccan rugs is that they can be up to 15 feet long. Moroccan rugs can be pile weave, flat weave, or a combination of both. All Moroccan rugs are geometric.

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Native American     Native American weaving is mainly associated with Navajo wool blankets. These blankets are mostly flat weaves. Navajo blankets date back to late 18th century. Today Navajo fabrics are woven on reservations in northern Arizona. Original styles consisted of stripes and simple geometric shapes.

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Turkey (Anatolian)     The earliest Anatolian (Turkish) handmade rugs date back to the thirteenth century. Many examples of Anatolian rugs can be seen in European paintings from mid 14th to mid 15th centuries. Rugs have been woven in Turkey for at least as long as they have been in Iran.     Most Anatolian rugs with the exception of Hereke and Ushak seem to be geometric and very much influenced by Caucasian designs.

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Pakistan     As with India, the art of rug weaving in Pakistan began during the reign of Akbar Shah in the sixteenth century. During that period Persian master weavers were brought to Lahore, and from then on rug making developed rapidly. At the present, two basic types of rugs are produced in Pakistan: the Pakistani (Persian Style) and the Mori (Bokhara Turkoman Style).

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Cities

Qum     The Qum carpets are very tightly knotted and the pile mostly of silk. You can even find extremely fine carpets where pile, warp and weft are of silk. If the pile is of wool there is often silk decor in the details. Qum has a great variation of patterns; flowers, medallions, cypresses, gardens, hunting scenes as well as vases and birds.

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Nain     Nain has always had a reputation of producing high quality wool. The carpets from Nain are also known for their fine patterns, quite similar to those of Isfahan. Many carpets have patterns of plants and animals, but most of them have intertwined branches with small flowers.

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Tabriz     The carpets from Tabriz are of high quality and have great variations in size. The pattern could be floral, vases, trees, hunting scenes or teardrop medallions. The most famous design is called "Mahi" (Fish). The pile is of wool or wool/silk, the warp cotton or silk.

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Hereke     These carpets come from the Turkish town of Hereke at the lake of Marmara, not far from Istanbul. These are high quality carpets with over 1 million knots per square meters and the patterns have many variations and are most decorative.     There are different kinds of Hereke. One has a pile of wool and a cotton warp and another has a pile of silk with silk warp, while another kind has a pile of silk with 14kt gold warp. Some Hereke rugs are being copied in Kaisery (a town near Istanbul). Kaisery however has about 250-400 thousand knots per square meter.     Hereke silk is considered one of the finest silk rugs in the world.

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Isfahan     The Isfahan carpets-as those from Nain-have patterns of flowers and intertwined branches, often with a medallion, but you can also find hunting scenes and the tree of life. The warp is normally of silk, the pile of wool or wool/silk.

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Hamadan     The Hamadan rug is often and rightly praised as a good, solid rug. It is made in the large district of western Iran where the town of Hamadan serves as a depot for more than a thousand villages. The Hamadan rug is knotted on a foundation of cotton (though the weft-threads are some-times woolen), and the pile is of strong wool.

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Kerman     The city of Kerman in southern Persia produces some of the most refined and elegant rugs made today. Kerman is generally considered to be the main source of the most beautiful and inventive Persian designs; even today, their repertoire is unrivalled.

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Senneh     Village and workshop rugs, made in the town of Sanandaj (western Iran). Senneh rugs can be very finely woven on cotton (or sometimes silk) foundations, with up to 500 knots per sq. inch, and the pile wool, normally clipped quite short, is of very good quality.

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Other Styles

Kelim (Flat Woven)     Kelim rugs employ simpler methods and more ancient techniques than pile rugs. A Kelim is a rug without knots to form a pile and is usually made of wool or wool and goat-hair. A Kelim can be reversable and because of its thin width is used as a ground cover or wall hanging.

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Tapestry     Hand-woven fabric of plain weave made without shuttle or draw boy, the design of weft threads being threaded into the warp with fingers or a bobbin. The name has been extended to cover a variety of heavy materials, such as imitation tapestries woven on Jacquard looms, tapestry carpets, and upholstery and drapery stuffs.

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Pile, Weave, and Foundation

Pile

Pile refers to the material (fiber) used for weaving rugs. Mostly natural fibers are used in handmade rugs. The main pile materials are wool, silk and cotton. Sometimes, goat and camel hair are also used by nomadic and village weavers. Wool : Sheep wool is a natural fiber commonly used in rugs. The breed and age of the sheep, the season when sheared, the climate and surrounding environment are all factors that determine the quality of wool. These qualities are its thickness, texture and color. Silk : Silk is an expensive fiber, and therefore, it is less frequently used in handmade rugs. Silk comes from the cocoon of silkworms, which thrive on mulberry leaves. Silk originally came from China and it was then cultivated in countries such as Iran, Turkey, India and some countries of the ex-Soviet Union. Silk is one of the strongest fibres. Cotton : Cotton is used primarily in the foundation of rugs. However, some weaving groups such as Turkomans also use cotton for weaving small white details into the rug in order to create contrast.

Weave

Weave refers to the technique used in weaving handmade rugs. There are two major weaving techniques: pile weave and flat weave.

Pile Weave : Pile weave or knotted weave refers to the method of weaving used in most rugs. In this technique the rug is woven by creation of knots. A short piece of yarn is tied around two neighboring warp strands creating a knot on the back and a pile on the surface of the rug. After each row of knots is created, one or more strands of weft are passed through a complete set of warp strands. Then the knots and the weft strands are beaten with a comb securing the knots in place. Even though all pile rugs are woven with knots, different weaving groups use different types of knots. The weaving process begins at the bottom of the loom and moves upward as the horizontal rows of knots and wefts are added.

Tibetan Knot

Flat Weave : Flat weave refers to a technique of weaving where no knots are used in the weave. The warp strands are used as the foundation and the weft stands are used as both part of the foundation and in creating the patterns. The weft strands are simply passed (woven) through the warp strands. Some examples of this weaving method can be seen in kelims, soumaks and brocades. These weavings are called flat weaves since no knots are used in the weaving process and their surface looks flat.

Kelim	Soumak	Brocade
Kelims take shorter time to weave and therefore less expensive comparing with a hand knotted rug. There is no knot and the weft strands are discontinuous.	Soumak weaving is another method of flat weaving. This rug weaving technique is used by the Caucasian weaving group. They have been using this unique method of flat weaving for generations. The Soumak technique refers to a method of flat weaving where the wefts are passed over two or four warps and back under one or two warps.	Brocading is also a form of flat weaving. Brocades already have a foundation (a warp and a weft). The foundation is patterned by additional colored weft strands, which can be continuous or discontinuous, and are passed through the already existing warp and weft strands.

Foundation

Foundation refers to the basic structural components of handmade rugs. These components consist of warps and wefts. Warp : Warps are vertical strands of fiber, which stretch from the top to the bottom of the rug. Warps are an extremely important component because the knots are tied to them and the weft strands are passed (woven) through them. Even tension of all warp strands is essential in producing a rug without wrinkles. The extensions of warp strands are rug fringes. Fringes are knotted at the ends to ensure that the wefts and the knots do not unravel.

Weft : Wefts are horizontal strands of fiber that are passed (woven) through the warp strands. Unlike the warps, wefts are not structured prior to weaving. They are added before and in between the rows of knots to secure the knots in place. Each side of the rug, where the wefts begin and end, is called selvedge.

Foundation Material : In general, the same material is used for both warp and weft, and it is often cotton. Wool is used as a foundation material in some nomadic and village rugs because wool is readily available to these weaving groups. Silk is generally used in foundation of rugs with silk piles. Rugs with silk foundation and pile are very exceptional and expensive. These rugs are light in weight and are very finely knotted. Silk is a very good foundation material because it is very strong and keeps its shape.

Finishing

Weaving is the most time consuming part in production of a handmade rug, yet not the end of it. Shaving, Stretching, binding, fringes, burning and washing are the next main steps to take, before the final inspection.

After weaving is complete, the pile is almost 2 inches thick and is hard to recognize the design by just looking at the front of the rug. It is now time to shave the rug. Upon shaving we can clearly see the color combination and design. However in some cities such as Tabriz or Kashan the weaver using a special designed scissors shaves after each line is complete.

The next step is stretching and straightening and binding the rug if not done during weaving process.

Fringes come after and now the rug is technically complete. Now the back of the rug should be burnt to make it smooth and even. The final step would be to wash the rug in order to get all the extra dye and material out and the outcome is a much softer rug.


The term "Tea or Herbal Wash" is applied if the tea and/or herbs are used in the washing process.

Caring for your Rugs

If Persian and Oriental rugs have survived centuries in comparatively good conditions, it is because of careful treatment. They give remarkably long service if treated with proper consideration. The main two enemies, apart from the inevitable destructive effect of wear, are moths and dampness. The former are best controlled by frequent moving or handling and by regular exposure to light and air. Places in the middle of the carpet that are locally worn or damaged can be restored to make the rug almost as good as new.

Vacuuming your Rugs

Routine maintenance, specifically vacuuming, is the single most important step you can take to preserve the lasting beauty of your carpet. Vacuum your rug regularly to remove loose soil and accumulated dust. Be careful not to vacuum the fringe.

Never vacuum against the nap of the rug. Vacuuming against the nap drives dirt back into the rug and as a general rule vacuum the rug with low-level suction.

Rotating Rugs

Frequently rotate the rug from sunny areas to the other side of the room to equalize the effect of the sun. Remember that continued exposure to bright hot sun rays and even indirect sunlight will cause damage to the dyed fabrics used in rugs.

Crushed Pile

Use protectors under the legs of heavy furniture to protect carpet pile. To right the pile that is indented or crushed by the legs of heavy furniture, brush the depressed area with a soft brush and faintly mist the area with water and follow up by brushing.

Storing your Rugs

If your carpets should be stored, regular inspection at intervals is essential. Do not use an airtight plastic bag to wrap them and let them breathe. It is advisable to let carpets lie flat on top of one another for any length of time. Do not store them in humid, damp, warm or poorly ventilated rooms.

Hanging your Rugs

If you are bout to hang your carpets on the wall, you should be certain that the warp threads could stand the strain. Do not use nails or staples at the top of a heavy rug to hang for long periods of time. Use a stronger poster holder to distribute the weight of the rug evenly.

Removing Stains

Take care of any kind of spill immediately. Spills of coffee or milk may be removed without permanent stain if taken care of right away. Dilute the spill with plenty of water and blot the wet area (preferably with thick paper towels with pressure) until all of the moisture is removed. If the stain is still visible, use hair shampoo to repeat the above. Then brush (in the direction of the nap) and scrape any excess immediately to prevent penetration and chemical reaction with the fibers and colors. Please do not use salt, baking powder, bleach, or other chemicals to remove the stain.

Candle Wax Removal

Place a blotter or brown paper bag over the spot. Put a hot iron over the blotter. Wait a few minutes until the wax is absorbed into the blotter. Repeat if necessary. Move the iron constantly to avoid overheating one spot. After cooling use solvent to remove any remaining strain.

Gum, Glue and Ink Removal

Chewing Gum Removal
Press ice cubes against spot. Wait until the gum becomes brittle and breaks off. Use spot remover or solvent to get rid of last traces.

Glue Removal
Saturate the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar, alcohol or gentle paint thinner.

Removing Ink from Ballpoint Pen
Saturate the spot with hairspray. Allow it to dry. Brush lightly with a solution of water and vinegar.