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Parts of an Oriental rug

Warps are the parallel strings stretched from loom beam to loom beam upon which rows of knots are tied. Most weavers use cotton for warp material if it is available because it is easier to weave a flat, straight rug on cotton warps than on wool warps (wool yarn is more elastic than cotton string, and is more affected by changes in humidity). Weavers who are semi-nomadic pastoralists (i.e. not farmers) are much more likely to use wool than cotton for warp and weft.

Wefts run across the width of the rug, over and under the warp strings and between rows of knots. Most often wefts are made of cotton, wool, or silk . Wefts help hold rows of knots in place and strengthen the structure of the rug.

Knots are tied by looping yarn around pairs of warps and cutting off the standing end. The ends of the "knot" become the pile or nap of the rug.

Edge bindings are made by wrapping several warps at the edge of the rug with yarn to reinforce this part of the rug.

End finishes hold knots and wefts from working off the rug's warp strings. Many rug types have a flat-woven kilim selvedge at both ends.

Fringes are formed by gathering and knotting together bundles of warp strings at both ends of the rug after the rug has been cut from the loom. The knots in these bundles of warp strings keep pile knots and end finishes tight at the rug's ends.

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Parts of a rug design

The field is the background of the rug inside the borders.

The main border is the widest decorative design around the outside of the rug; guard borders are the narrow decorative designs flanking the main border.

The medallion is the round, oval, or polygonal design element that sometimes occupies the center of the field.

Corner brackets or spandrels are designs which sometimes fill the corners of the field

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Knot Types

The Ghiordes or Turkish knot...
is a symmetrical knot widely used in Turkey and the Caucasus region. It is larger and square, which makes it better adapted to the creation of geometric designs.

The Senneh or Persian knot...
is an asymmetrical knot and is used in Iran, Central Asia, the Far East, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and China. It is smaller and irregular, which makes it better suited for curvilinear motifs.

Jufti or “false” knots...
are sometimes used with either the Persian or Turkish systems. These knots are tied around four warps instead of the usual two. Rugs made with these rugs require less material and less time than those made using the traditional knot systems. However, the final product of the jufti knot is a rug that is less durable and of lesser quality than its Persian and Turkish knot counterparts.

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Knot Density

The number of knots that have been tied per square inch of the pile of a rug determine the fineness of knotting on that rug. Generally, the more knots, the finer the knotting, and the higher the quality of a rug.

The following grading is recommended to describe the density of a rug:

Knots per sq.inch	Category
up to 30	very coarse
30 to 60	coarse
60 to 120	medium fine
120 to 160	fine
160 to 290	very fine
over 300	exceptionally fine rugs

It is obvious that creating a very fine rug requires a much higher amount of time than a coarse rug. That results in a higher price. .

Generally speaking it can be said that the rug density is one of the main factors that determine its quality and price.

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Rug Dyes

Most rugs contain either natural or synthetic dyes. Natural dyes are made from vegetable or mineral sources. Synthetic dyes are made from either aniline or chrome.
The two most common agents used for natural dye were madder for red color (extracted from roots of 3-9 year old plants grown over the Near East and Central Asia), and indigo for blue (extracted from indigo plant imported from India. Saffron produces the brightest and also the most expensive yellow. Sumac, turmeric and pomegranate also supply various yellow dyes. Green can be made from a dying of indigo followed by a bath of yellow.
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.

Aniline dye was invented in 1856. Aniline dyes are acid and coal tar derivative while making the wool stiffer, drier, and the color would run and fade. Late in the nineteenth century several laws restricted their use in Persia due to poor quality.

Around 1940 chrome dyes were developed. Chrome dyes use potassium bicarbonate comes in a wide range of rich colors. They are colorfast and do not hurt the wool.

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Materials

The materials used in genuine Oriental rugs are chiefly wool or silk knotted onto a cotton foundation. 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. This kind of wool, very thin and silky, was used in Manchester, England and eventually found its way to Persia. The Persian lamb is known for its superb wool such as Kurdish and Beluchi.

Live wool is wool sheared from living sheep. Good live wool is durable and soft, it retains its lanolin and essential oils giving the rug resilience. Good wool captures the light and diffuses it among its fibers. Using a good wool carpet over the course of time gradually polishes the wool and the natural oils come to the surface lending a wonderful sheen. In fact, an older rug sometimes looks as though it is made of silk instead of wool. Rugs of wool are more durable and wear longer than synthetic fabrics. Wool is more resilient, cleans better and stays clean longer.

Dead wool taken from slaughtered animals by chemicals is dry, brittle and abrasive. The colors are cloudy, light is reflected off the surface of the wool. Such rugs do not wear well and have no resilience.

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Weavers' tools

Horizontal Looms: The horizontal loom is largely thought to have been the first loom used by nomadic tribes because of the ease with which it is assembled and dismantled. Horizontal looms are placed flat on the ground and can be easily moved. However, the size of the carpet cannot exceed the size of the loom, meaning that horizontal looms can only yield small or medium size carpets.

Vertical Looms: The vertical loom was an innovation in rug weaving because its vertical design allows for greater tension in the weave resulting in tighter knots. The vertical loom requires solid support and is a fixed structure, making it an ideal tool for settled peoples in cities and villages. Additionally, the vertical loom allows for the creation of carpets that are larger than the loom itself. Most rugs on the market today have been woven using a vertical loom.

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