Old Persian Tabriz With A "Herati" Design

Situated in Northwestern Afghanistan, and within the great lines of travel between Persia, Turkestan, and India, the city of “Herat” occupied a very important commercial position  for centuries and its people long since became so much familiar with the best fabrics of the surrounding countries. “Herat” developed an important influence on the art and culture of Western Asia as it reached its greatest prosperity during the 15^th century. The capture of the city by Nader Shah in 1731 resulted in removal of of many rug weavers to Persia. However, up until that time, some of the best Persian carpets and Oriental rugs were being produced on the looms of “Herat”, surpassing the standards of delicate drawing and perfect harmony of colors. The fields contained patterns of serrated leaves entwined with flowing scrolls, often noticeable for patterns of palmettes and such flowers as the lotus and peony which were often most realistically drawn. These carpets contained in field and border the design that appears in many of the later Persian rugs as the Herati pattern, though with minor modifications.

Modern Herati rugs share no character with other Afghan rugs, just like antique pieces which show a close resemblance to Herati patterns of Persian rugs and not to Afghan rugs. Although falling far short of the high standards of the time when Herat was part of Persia, weavers of this region are still attentive to the early traditions of weaving. Having been made across the border around the city of Mashad, many of these rugs have the silky appearance peculiar to the rugs of Persian Khorassan. However, their tones of color, mainly consisting of red and blue in the field with yellow, light green, and ivory in the border, as well as most of the patterns remain distinct. In one type the fields are covered with pear designs, but their bent narrow ends always turn in the same direction, while those of other rugs turn in different directions in alternate rows. In another type fields are covered with an allover Herati or “Fish” pattern with borders following the traditional Herati design, also known as “Tosbagheh”. Seeing a large central medallion of red or blue, separated from the triangular portion of the corners by a field of lighter color would also be common in rugs of Herati heritage. For rug owners, the great advantage to this pattern is the fact that several pieces of different origin with different color combinations, will create a beautiful, harmonious space only if they all share the same “Herati” design.

Old Persian Bijar With "Herati" Pattern

Wool
Wool is not only the first, but also considered to be the best of all material for production of rugs. For a detailed discussion about wool, please read our article: “Wool – The Natural Fiber”.

Persian Quom Silk Rug

Silk
Silk comes from the cocoon of the silk worm. In other words, silk in continuous lengths from 300 to 1500 yards, is spun by the silk worms to produce their cocoons. The fact that silk requires a great deal of handling and processing makes it one of the most expensive fibers. China is the leading silk producer and exporter of the world. Other major silk producing countries include Japan, Italy, and India. Being naturally non flammable and very strong, silk rugs are very durable. Silk is sometimes used as the foundation of rugs, sometimes as the pile, and sometimes as both. Since it is thinner than wool or cotton threads, a rug woven on a silk foundation can have a very high number of knots per square inch (KPSI).  A pure silk rug would definitely need to be washed by a competent professional.

Cotton
Cotton is a natural fiber that is harvested from the cotton plant. After harvesting, cotton should be combed to remove the seeds. A cotton gin quickly separates the seeds from the fiber and combs them for spinning. As one of the most used fibers in existence today, the major use for cotton is for yarns in woven rugs, usually as the foundation. Cotton is resistant to alkaline solutions and becomes stronger when it is wet. While a single cotton fiber is not terribly solid, when multiple curling fibers are twisted together, they form a very strong and smooth thread. The greatest drawback to cotton is the fact that it is the most absorbent fiber there is, requiring extensive drying times after a wash. Also, it can easily get damaged by acids, soils quickly, stains easily, and is subject to mildew, shrinkage, and dry rot.

Cotton Tree

Cellulose fiber
These are fibers from some plant or plant-based materials. They belong to one of the categories of “natural” or “manufactured”. Natural cellulose fibers are often identified as being from a part of the original plant because they are only processed as much as needed to clean the fibers for use. For instance, cotton fibers look a lot like the soft fluffy cotton balls that they come from. All “natural” fibers go through a process where they are separated from the parts of the plant that are not used for the end product, usually through harvesting, or separating from chaff. “Manufactured” cellulose fibers come from plants that are processed into a wood and then forced out in the same ways that synthetic fibers like polyester or nylon are made. Rayon (or viscose) is one of the most common “manufactured” cellulose fibers, and it can be made from wood pulp. Rayon is used for area rugs because of its silky appearance. Rather than making up the pile of a rug, these fibers are often used as backing materials of tufted as well as woven rugs.

Jute
Jute is produced by the jute plant which grows in South America, India, and Pakistan. The longer coarse fibers are obtained from the stalk of the jute plant which is located between the outer bark and within the inner pulp. Jute is normally used as weft yarns in woven

Jute Plant

rugs and, just like cellulose fibers, as a backing material in the construction of tufted carpets. Jute is an inexpensive material that also serves other uses than just carpets. Jute has its own disadvantages, like all other fibers. It gets weak as it becomes wet and is also subject to mildew, dry rot, and shrinkage. Although jute is among the cheapest of natural fibers available, the thread created from jute is very strong. Jute also has exceptional insulating properties, low thermal conductivity, and antistatic characteristics. However, synthetic materials are replacing jute in many applications, because they are still less costly to create and more efficient to use. This is partly due to the fact that jute has a tendency to become brittle and to yellow in sunlight.

Antique Persian Bakhtiari

Antique or not, always keep your rugs dust-free. Small particles of dust act as sharp razors that will cut the fibers of the pile every time you step on the rug, resulting in premature spots of worn pile. So vacuum clean your rugs as often as possible and just make sure you do not get the fringes stuck in the suction of the cleaner as it can harm your rug. Any regular, household vacuum cleaner would be preferred over industrial cleaners with extra suction powers. Have your antique rug washed by a competent professional every few years, and do not attempt to remove stains using commercial carpet stain removers. Under no circumstances should you steam clean your Oriental rugs and antique carpets.

If you use your antique rugs on the floor, make sure they are protected against heavy foot traffic and sharp edges of furniture legs. By using protective furniture guards, you can avoid damaging the fibers of the pile. Rotate your rug twice a year so it will be evenly exposed to traffic and natural light. Also, hanging an antique rug on the wall will obviously help it last much longer. You must remember to periodically take them down, lay them flat on the floor for a few days, and dust them off before hanging them back on the wall.

If possible, try to encourage the habit of walking around barefooted for everyone in your household. Or at least, promote the idea of using inside shoes to avoid transferring all the dirt and soil directly on the surface of your beloved rug. You will be doing your antique rugs a great favor. As pet urine can seriously damage your old rugs, do not place collectible pieces in areas accessible to your pets. If you intend to store your antique rug for an extended period of time, it would be wise to read our article on “Properly Storing Your Rugs”. Appropriate care and maintenance of antique rugs is really worth your attention when you consider all the warmth and beauty they can add to your home. They do not need to be fed, they do not rot or spoil, they do not break, and they can easily be transported to a new home as you move around throughout your life. Just give them a bit of your time every now and then so you can enjoy them for generations.

Working On The Loom

As the design for the project is shown on a piece of paper – called Cartoon – and attached to the foundation of the rug in front of weavers, they only need to raise their eyes briefly, thus allowing them to concentrate on the tying of knots and cutting off the strands. This process is repeated quickly, endlessly, and seemingly on autopilot. However, it requires lots of attention and watchfulness. This is perhaps the reason weavers in workshops spend very little time talking to one another during work hours.

Having made his workshop available to weavers and neighbors, the foreman is paid higher wages than the other workers by the master weaver. He is often in charge of placing orders for the needed material with the master weaver and regularly reporting to him as to the progress of the project. He is also responsible for the daily opening and closing times of the workshop. Weavers normally work for about eight hours a day and more than three hundred days a year. Weavers are paid on weekly basis and according to the amount of work they have completed either by the master weaver or the foreman. They will usually be awarded by means of a small gift or some extra cash if the master weaver is satisfied by their work. A professional weaver can tie between 5,000 and 14,000 knots per day depending on the difficulty of the design. For some fine rugs with 500 knots per square inch (KPSI), one weaver’s work will progress at about 1.3 inches in height by 34 inches in width every single day. By simple calculation, we find that weaving a 4 ft. by 6 ft. rug of fine quality can represent about a full year’s work. This will help us appreciate these works of art even more.

Old Persian Meymeh Rug

The typical pattern in Meymeh rugs consists of repeated diamonds made up of detailed geometric motif. In a few pieces of these Persian rugs, the “Shah Abbas” pattern can be seen. In other pieces the field is covered with scrolls, or with a lattice work design in which small floral forms are the motifs. These are usually occupied by pear designs encircled by small rounded figures, which combined form the outlines  of a larger pear, while in the intervening spaces are small floral forms. The principal border stripe generally consists of floral designs, which are frequently some form of the Herati design. The secondary stripes often contain floral vines. Whatever the pattern of the field, the effect is always striking and beautiful; for the lines are never harsh, and the colors are rich. The majority of these rugs are room size. Colors are sharp and vivid, with red, dark blue, and ivory being the main ones. The colors of the border are generally the same as those of the smaller designs, so that the effect is often very  harmonious. These rugs are excellently woven, and the soft lustrous wool of the pile, which is usually longer than that of Sarabands and Farahans, has often an appearance like plush. Foundation is almost always cotton with two shots of weft inserted over each row of knots. The rows of knots are not always firmly pressed down, so that the warp may be seen at the back. In older pieces of Meymeh rugs, which can be quite valuable, the weft may be wool. Pile is always made of wool of short or medium length. Quality of the wool is very good in Meymeh rugs, making them very durable pieces of Persian rugs. The Width is usually about two thirds of the length. Average knot density of a Meymeh rug is between 130 and 200 knots per square inch (KPSI).

Spinning Wool at a Factory

coloring it. Weavers will also need to acquire their designs from professional artists. By the end of nineteenth century, as the demand for these masterpieces increased within the Western markets and weavers paid more and more attention to producing these rugs as cheaply as possible, larger quantities of cotton came to be used for the foundation (warp and weft). Being native to the country in which they were used, affected by its altitude, climate, and humidity, all of these materials develop certain qualities that often give to rugs a distinctly local character.

Among all materials used in production of Oriental carpets and Persian rugs, wool requires the greatest care. Cotton is more readily available, and much cheaper to obtain in many different parts of the world. In some districts, unwashed wool is dyed in its naturally greasy state, resulting in shiny hues of the pile. In other areas, the grease and dirt are carefully removed from the body of the wool. Several different methods are used for this cleansing, but large amounts of clear running water free from alkali is absolutely necessary for the process, as hard water loses some of its cleansing properties and chemicals would be required to counteract this unfavorable quality. After the wool has been thoroughly washed, it is dried exposed to natural sun light and open air. Then the darker and lighter shades of the wool are separated. Next step would be combing of the wool which causes an orderly arrangement for the material, making it ready for spinning. The wool is spun into yarn by means of either a primitive spindle or a more sophisticated spinning-wheel device. The threads spun by professionals on modern machines are of small diameter and most regular in texture and size, whereas those spun with a small spindle are of larger diameter and less regular. Yet the hand-spun wool is the most highly valued among both weavers and collectors. Two or more single threads will then be twisted together to form the yarn, as one single thread tends to break apart rather easily.

spinning wool by Hand

The spun wool is not always ready for the dyer, and in order for it to properly absorb colors, it is often washed and rewashed. In most instances, wool is first soaked in warm water and carefully rinsed in cold water. It is then placed in boiling water of a copper pot containing “carbonate” or “sulfate of soda” and stirred for about an hour, followed by a thorough wash and complete drying in the open air. The wonderful sheen of so many Persian and Oriental area rugs is due

Dying the Wool

almost entirely to their material as well as the hard work going into preparing such material. Perhaps, rug owners come to raise their appreciation of these floor coverings as they learn more and more about all the detail that goes into preparing these works of art.

Old Persian Senneh Runner

Having borders with Iraq and Turkey, Kurdistan is located in Northwestern Persia and is inhabited by over five million Kurds. Sanandaj (formerly named Senneh) is the capital city of Kurdistan province, a relatively major producer of some of the most desirable Persian carpets. Some old Kurdish rugs are among the most valuable, collector pieces of Persian rugs. Woven by the tribes settled in the rich valleys of this region, Kurdish rugs demonstrate a strong influence of association among weavers through their weave, colors, and pattern, which differ widely from those seen in their counterparts of Turkey. The warp is generally soft, brown wool in older pieces and cotton in more recent production of Kurdish rugs and the pile is often shaved shorter than similar types of Persian rugs. Likewise, the colors are more varied and of more delicate tones so as to include lighter shades of green, rose, and ivory with the darker reds, blues, and browns. But the main distinction consists of the more artistic pattern in Persian Kurdish rugs as opposed to Kurdish rugs of Turkey. The medallion in the center of the field with corner pieces in which appear some form of repetitive pattern is most common. Rather than large figures, the more elegant Herati designs borrowed from the “Farahan” and the “Malayer”, or the pear design from the “Saraband” and “Arak” are often included in the design. The ivory and yellowish flowers, connected by a diamond-like pattern of brown or olive, sits on a field of dark blue, that in accordance with a feature peculiar to rugs of Kurdish weaves varies from one end of the field to the other. This is, perhaps, to suggest that their wandering life often made it difficult to acquire the roots and herbs needed to produce similar shades. As is rarely the case with other patterns, the naturalistic flowers that are hanging from the wavy vine of the main stripe and the flowers of the field have nearly the same drawing. The two remaining stripes of the narrow border have most simple vines.

Persian Senneh Kilim (Flatwoven)

The high quality of hand-spun wool as well as natural dyes used in Senneh rugs result in very durable pieces. Kurdish rugs are, almost without exception, stoutly woven. To assure firmness, one thread of warp is depressed below the other in tying the knots, and the weft that is thrown across for filling is of fair quality. On account of the firm texture, excellent wool, and good colors it is still possible to obtain moderately old pieces, that as objects of utility as well as ornament are desirable for their authentic qualities. A similarity exists between the Persian-Kurdish, Hamadan, and Bijar rugs; but a precise, even if easily overlooked, difference in the weave serves to distinguish one from the other. As may be seen by examining the backs of typical examples, in rugs of Hamadan, every thread of warp lies in the same plane parallel with the surface of the pile, in the Persian Kurdistans one of the two threads of warp encircled by a knot is depressed at an acute angle to that plane, and in Bijar rugs, one of the two threads of warp encircled by a knot is doubled under the other so as to be at right angles to that plane.

The principal colors of Persian Kurdish rugs are red, blue, navy, yellow, green, and ivory. Knots are of Turkish (Symmetric) type with their number to each horizontal inch from seven to ten, and to each perpendicular inch between eight and twelve. The yarn is woven relatively loose, resulting in each separate ply to be distinct. The rows of knots are pressed down, so that the warp is largely covered and the weft partly hidden at the back of the rug. These rugs are usually protected in the sides by a heavy double selvedge binding in darker colors. They come in all different sizes, sometimes woven in pieces as large as 12 by 20 feet. Very long runners are sometimes possible to find in Senneh rugs. Two shots of weft are inserted on top of each row of knots. The density of knots starts around 150 and can reach 500 KPSI (knots per square inch).

The study of Persian and Oriental rugs goes beyond a brief and plain research. It is impossible to become an “expert” in this field without a long personal experience in handling rugs, combined with attentive studies and a growing patience for learning about a subject of such a vast domain. However, familiarity with one class makes it so much easier to distinguish others through comparison and a relatively effortless process of elimination. Within the U.S. market, the majority of area rugs used to be “Persian” up until about three decades ago when the market was supplied with a large number of other types of handmade rugs from China, India, as well as Pakistan, just to name the major competitors of Persian rugs. For the beginner, it would suffice to learn the most basic about these types of rugs. You should keep in mind that Persian rugs have the largest number of classes, most of which can only with difficulty be distinguished from one another. Therefore, guidelines for identification of Persian rugs will not be discussed here.

Persian patterns: Shah Abbasi, Mina Khani, Gul Hannai, Herati

Chinese rugs can easily be distinguished by their well-known, traditional patterns with the exception of Persian reproductions, which started about forty years ago with Kashan, Tabriz, and Nain patterns being the most popular. Wool rugs with simple geometric designs came to be used as floor coverings in China only recently. Unlike most oriental rugs, in Chinese patterns, the motifs stand alone rather than joining together to form the design, each having its specific meaning and often inspired by religious influences on the individual weavers. The foundation is typically cotton with two shots of weft inserted over each row of knots. The diameter of the threads of warp is much smaller than the diameter of the threads of the weft. It may be interesting to note that production of Chinese rugs has significantly decreased during the past few years due to so many factors on which an entire book can be written.

Typical Patterns of Chinese Rugs

Indian rugs may generally be recognized by the realism and formal arrangement of their floral patterns. Due to the fact that weaving workshops of India have almost always been supervised by Persian master weavers, most Indian rugs are strongly influenced by Persian patterns. This has also resulted in Indian rugs to be named after the Persian style names that they reproduce. For instance, an Indo-Tabriz is a Tabriz design made in India. These Indian rugs tend to have a relatively thick pile and are very durable, always woven in workshops, exclusively for exportation. The warp is normally cotton with two shots of weft, also of cotton with differing thickness, inserted over every single row of knots.

Typical Persian Paisley patterns

Rugs woven in Pakistan are produced in concentrated workshops and factories, exclusively for exportation. Any hand-knotted rug from Pakistan belongs to the category of “Pakistani” or “Mouri”, a reproduction of Turkeman pattern (called Bokhara), characterized by repeated and geometric diamond-shaped motifs. Those from the Pakistani category copy Persian designs of Farahan, Kerman, and Tabriz. Use of more muted color tones has made them very popular in Western markets. The pile is usually trimmed very short, with two shots of cotton weft inserted over each row of knots.

The foundation of a rug, consisting of warp and weft threads, receives minor consideration from potential buyers, yet it is one of the most important factors defining the quality of a rug, and its strength is one of the most necessary conditions for utility. As a general rule, the backside of an Oriental rug will offer valuable information to the novice collector: Is each row of knots firmly pressed down upon the weft, or does each knot has a length equal or exceeding its width, and does the weave show inconsistencies. Only by consideration of these different points, and often more, such as the nature of colors, the character of wool, and the manner in which the wool has been spun, is it possible to determine much doubtful cases of rug identification.

Old Bakhtiari with the typical corner and medallion design

With Shahr-kurd (town of the Kurds) being its capital city, Bakhtiari tribes are scattered around an area southwest of the noted city of Isfahan known as Chahar-Mahal. However, the formerly nomadic tribes of Bakhtiari, have since become settled. The term “Bakthiari” consists of two parts: “Bakht” meaning luck or chance, and “iari” meaning friend or companion, so as a whole the term would mean “Companion that brings good luck and fortune”, perhaps a title given to Cyrus the Great King. A relatively small percentage of Baktiari are still nomadic pastoralists, migrating between summer and winter quarters. No reliable statistics as to the number of Bakhtiari population is available, but some estimates claim this number to be around 800,000.

Historically, a large volume of Persian rugs, both in commercial grade and as excellent collectors’ pieces have been woven in this region. During the beginning years of the Nineteenth

Old Bakhtiari with Bandi pattern

century, production of Bakhtiari rugs increased, and raised rapidly due to the fact that there are around 200 villages in this area where rug production is the major means of making a living. Almost all production of Bakhtiari rugs have been offered for sale in the rug Bazaar of Isfahan, with the exception of new pieces commissioned by some major rug exporters. Reviving older patterns and traditional ways of rug production, such as the use of hand-spun wool and natural dyes mostly due to the efforts of these same exporters have made these carpets some of the most attractive pieces found in the rug industry within the last couple of decades. A large portion of rug making in this area has also been turned toward weaving “Gabbeh” rugs, mostly by same exporters.

All possible sizes have been woven in Bakhtiar, though smaller sizes are more common due to the fact that wooden looms used by Bakhtiari weavers would often break by heavy weight of larger rugs. Incidentally, moving large pieces around during seasonal migrations would not be very easy to accomplish. However, many over sized pieces from this area have been produced in workshops and are today considered master pieces and exceptional works of art. Foundation is usually cotton with 2 shots of weft inserted over each row of knots. There is also great variation of colors: many shades of red, brown, blue, yellow, ivory, and green. Many rugs from this area, specially older pieces use hand-spun wool and natural dyes, and the pile is normally trimmed medium to high. With the wool often obtained from the weaver’s own herd, and the highest quality of vegetable dyes used, the pile of Bakhtiari rugs are often soft and glossy.

Bakhtiari Golfarang

Patterns show a great deal of variation as well, perhaps mainly due to the fact that many small villages make rugs according to their own taste and style, usually also influenced by the environment. Designs often range from Shahabbasi flowers with a relatively large center medallion, and sometimes an attractive allover pattern, tile (Kheshti) design, Golfarang, Bandi, and Hasiri. Some of the more important centers of rug production in the region include Shahr-kurd, Chal Shotur, Shalamzar, Saman, Sefid Dasht, Faridan, and Ghave Rokh, just to name a few.

Walking on a rug  deposits dirt and dust from shoes into the body of the fibers. The dust particles gradually accumulate and act as sharp razors to cut these fibers, resulting in premature worn spots on the pile. Vacuum clean your area rugs often, at least once a week, and just avoid getting the fringes pulled out by the suction of the cleaner. Unnecessary pressure on the fringe or side bindings of a rug can seriously damage it. Rotate your Oriental or Persian rugs twice a year to make them receive even traffic and natural sunlight on all areas of the pile. Have your valuable investment professionally cleaned every five to six years depending on the volume of traffic you get on them. Rub your hand back and forth with relatively strong motions on the pile of the rug several times, and if your hand gets dirty, it is time for the “wash by a specialist”, whose services may be a bit expensive, but are absolutely essential.

Chinese rug with an open field pattern

As far as the color combination and the quality of a rug are concerned, it should be selected carefully according to the space in which it will be used: Fine carpets in lighter shades are perhaps more suitable for sitting rooms, studies, or libraries while a thicker, darker colored carpet may be more appropriate for a high traffic hallway or an entrance. Likewise, as stains will be unavoidable in a dining room, a colorful rug with a busy design might just work better than a beige rug with an open field pattern. Heavy pieces of furniture as well as table legs that rest directly on top of your beloved Oriental or Persian carpet can easily create a dent in the pile. While a piece of glass or plastic disc can be placed between the rug and the furniture in order to minimize the potential damage, such “dents” are normally not permanent. Just spray a bit of water over the dent, and the pile will start rising back up very soon. More practical yet, move the furniture a couple of inches on regular basis, for example every time you vacuum your rug.

As a final step toward protecting your Persian rugs and Oriental area rugs, an “appraisal certificate” may prove to be a valuable piece of document should they get damaged, lost, or stolen for whatever reason. Please refer to our article about appraisal certificates for further information on this subject and to learn how you should go about obtaining one. Rugs do not require constant attention, do not break, need no feeding, are easy to move around, and they certainly warm up any space a lot better than any other piece of furniture. With all the advantages these works of art have to offer, they are really easy to protect and maintain. Just give them ten minutes of your time each week, and they will be around for many many years.

Dark colored Persian Tabriz