Persian Rugs - A Weaving History
Author: George Royal
Carpet and rug weaving in Iran (Persia) dates back to 3500
years in the bronze age, according to some experts. The oldest
evidences of this art date back to the third to fifth centuries
AD discovered in Eastern Turkestan, and hand-weavings of the
Seljuks of Asia Minor. Carpets from Safavid dynasty (1501-1736)
in the 16th century are also some of the earliest products in
the history of carpet-weaving.
Although weaving of Persian rugs is predominantly mechanized
now, the most popular and expensive ones are still hand woven
in many parts of Iran, such as Baluch Rugs, Shiraz Rugs, and
Wiss Rugs etc still reflecting the rich art and culture of
ancient Persia. The Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran houses some
of the best works in the history of Persian rug weaving.
The motifs in Persian rugs commonly consist of scrolling vine
networks, arabesques, palmettes, cloud bands, medallions, and
overlapping geometric compartments, with silk, wool and cotton
as foundations. The designs are mostly intricate bearing little
resemblance to one another but unique to the specific type.
However, there are some universal styles of weaving, pattern
and design commonly used.
Single and double tied rugs differentiate Anatolian or Turkish
and Persian rugs. Anatolian carpets are double tied – which
means that for every vertical strand of thread in the rug, it
has two knots. The Persian rug is single tied so it has only
one knot. This allows finer image to appear on the final
product because only the minimum amount of space is given for
each vertical strand. This method has largely contributed to
the Persian rug's exquisiteness and popularity.
Persian city rugs such as Isfahan, Nain, Qum, Tabriz, Mashad,
Kerman, Kashan etc are made with intricate designs of buds and
blossoms supported by vines and tendril, and bordered by
arabesques that interlace creating a well-balanced tone. Solid
color filed central medallions and triangular corners are also
commonly used in design. Central motif or medallion may also be
replaced by an all-over design of repetitive floral icons.
Blues, reds, browns, and greens are also predominant to create
a lavish whole. Ground colors of border and field generally
contrast without disrupting the harmony. The curvilinear
pattern is achieved by increasing the intensity of knots,
usually a 200-300 KPSI (knots per square inch), creating a
visually curved line.
Persian Tribal rugs are usually made with natural raw materials
such as dye, and mostly hand-woven. They generally have 80-100
KPSI, and designs are mostly geometric which are easier to
achieve with wider spaced knots. Traditional dense floral
patterns with vases, foliage, palmettes, and garden elements,
small animals or plants etc are commonly used in design. These
rugs are woven by the tribes in Iranian villages such as Wiss,
near Hamedan; Shiraz, Central Iran; Baluch tribe in southern
Iran etc. There are also tribal weavers of Caucasian and
Turkoman origins. Some of the Persian tribal rugs are quite
exception with weaving method following ancient Persian
tradition, dating back to thousands of years.
About The Author: http://persianrugshq.com/ Persian Rugs can
enhance your home. Discover the joys of owning an Oriental
Persian rug!
years in the bronze age, according to some experts. The oldest
evidences of this art date back to the third to fifth centuries
AD discovered in Eastern Turkestan, and hand-weavings of the
Seljuks of Asia Minor. Carpets from Safavid dynasty (1501-1736)
in the 16th century are also some of the earliest products in
the history of carpet-weaving.
Although weaving of Persian rugs is predominantly mechanized
now, the most popular and expensive ones are still hand woven
in many parts of Iran, such as Baluch Rugs, Shiraz Rugs, and
Wiss Rugs etc still reflecting the rich art and culture of
ancient Persia. The Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran houses some
of the best works in the history of Persian rug weaving.
The motifs in Persian rugs commonly consist of scrolling vine
networks, arabesques, palmettes, cloud bands, medallions, and
overlapping geometric compartments, with silk, wool and cotton
as foundations. The designs are mostly intricate bearing little
resemblance to one another but unique to the specific type.
However, there are some universal styles of weaving, pattern
and design commonly used.
Single and double tied rugs differentiate Anatolian or Turkish
and Persian rugs. Anatolian carpets are double tied – which
means that for every vertical strand of thread in the rug, it
has two knots. The Persian rug is single tied so it has only
one knot. This allows finer image to appear on the final
product because only the minimum amount of space is given for
each vertical strand. This method has largely contributed to
the Persian rug's exquisiteness and popularity.
Persian city rugs such as Isfahan, Nain, Qum, Tabriz, Mashad,
Kerman, Kashan etc are made with intricate designs of buds and
blossoms supported by vines and tendril, and bordered by
arabesques that interlace creating a well-balanced tone. Solid
color filed central medallions and triangular corners are also
commonly used in design. Central motif or medallion may also be
replaced by an all-over design of repetitive floral icons.
Blues, reds, browns, and greens are also predominant to create
a lavish whole. Ground colors of border and field generally
contrast without disrupting the harmony. The curvilinear
pattern is achieved by increasing the intensity of knots,
usually a 200-300 KPSI (knots per square inch), creating a
visually curved line.
Persian Tribal rugs are usually made with natural raw materials
such as dye, and mostly hand-woven. They generally have 80-100
KPSI, and designs are mostly geometric which are easier to
achieve with wider spaced knots. Traditional dense floral
patterns with vases, foliage, palmettes, and garden elements,
small animals or plants etc are commonly used in design. These
rugs are woven by the tribes in Iranian villages such as Wiss,
near Hamedan; Shiraz, Central Iran; Baluch tribe in southern
Iran etc. There are also tribal weavers of Caucasian and
Turkoman origins. Some of the Persian tribal rugs are quite
exception with weaving method following ancient Persian
tradition, dating back to thousands of years.
About The Author: http://persianrugshq.com/ Persian Rugs can
enhance your home. Discover the joys of owning an Oriental
Persian rug!
