persian rug

Executive Summary of Up Close & Personal With Persian Rugs By Fran Sloan

Persian rugs are known for their detail and craftsmanship. Every part of the Persian carpet, from the yarn fiber to the colors, is hand made using natural ingredients. A Persian carpet is a beautiful accompaniment to any kind of décor.

The Persian rug dates back to ancient Persia. Most rugs and carpets cannot be dated far back because the materials of wool, silk and cotton decay. However in 1949, the Pazyryk carpet was uncovered at an archaeological excavation in Siberia. The Pazvryk carpet measure 9.3 x 6.5 ft and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm². The weaving technique is advanced. The center is typically colored deep red.

The classical Persian carpets of the 16th and 17th were varied. Many smaller regions such as Tabriz contributed unique designs to Persian carpets. The common patterns were arabesques, medallions, scrolling vine networks and cloud bands. While figural designs were popular in the Iranian market, they were not as commonly exported to the west.

Persian rugs are classified into three groups according to their size. Farsh is one sized larger than 6×4 feet. Qalicheh, with its literal meaning of rug, is one sized 6×4 or smaller. Kilim is nomadic carpet.

Persian rugs are first conceptualized with a layout as well as a design. The typical patterns include all-over, central medallion and one-sided. The components of a Persian rug are a layout and a design which in general included one or a number of motifs. The motifs are patterns that have different meanings. The most common ones are Boteh, Gul, Herati, Mina-Khani, Rosette and Shah Abbasi.

The actual weaving of Persian rugs is an intricate and arduous process. The weaving process begins by passing a number of wefts through a bottom warp to create a base. Then loosely piled knots of colored silk or wool are tied around successive sets of adjacent warps. This creates the elaborate patterns in the rugs. Once completed, the warp ends forms the fringes which can be tasseled, braided or weft-faced. A handmade rug can have a knot count that varies from 16 to 550 knots per square inch.

The industry of Persian carpets has increased exponentially as consumers gain appreciation for the craftsmanship and quality the carpets offer. Iran itself accounted for exporting $420 million of hand-woven carpets in 2008.

Also, check out my other guide on carpet clean or carpet tile.