Persian rugs or Persian carpets, are highly popular and well-known around the world. It is no doubt, and certainly no secret that this is due to their exceptional quality. Rooted in a tradition of thousands of years, the unique hand-knotting techniques, natural dyes, fine woollen yarns, and intricate designs are all elements that add to the value of the Persian rugs, which have been made in Iran for centuries.
The Persian carpet has a long and illustrious history reaching back more than 2500 years. Carpet weaving is usually assumed to have begun in the Persian Empire during the reign of Cyrus the Great in the sixth century BC. Indeed, historians and folklorists have written about the ruler’s love of rugs. Some believe that their tombs were strewn with numerous precious rugs. But Persian rugs didn’t grow in fame until the 1500s, when trade routes from major European cities to the Middle East became more popular. When Iran began trading with the West, the European nobility was fascinated by the Persian floor coverings. Persian rugs were later considered a symbol of prestige by European connoisseurs, solidifying their position in the globe as a highly sought-after asset.
Persian carpets are not only used as floor coverings but also as treasured pieces of art due to all the qualities accumulated on their single horizontal surface. It is the essence of one of the oldest and richest civilisations in the world. The effort and value given to elevate the quality at each stage of the process play a crucial role in enhancing the beauty and significance of these carpets.
In the following, we describe some characteristics, techniques, and procedures, which make Persian rugs exceptional among others, then, we explain some features in order to get to know these unique handmade goods better
1- Raw materials for handwoven carpets
The primary raw materials for handwoven carpets are natural fibres, of which sheep wool is the most common. Various kinds of sheep are raised in different parts of Iran, depending on the climate and available pasture. This variety is one of the factors that has led to the presence of various types of wool and, therefore, rugs in Iran. From carpets that are as soft and smooth as silk to very firm carpets, known as “Iron rugs”; From carpets that are woven with undyed wool to colourful ones whose colour shades would change at different viewing angles due to their quality wool and the use of natural dyes.
In colder regions of Iran, for instance, the sheep produce finer, long-staple wool; that of Khorasan is particularly fine. In the warmer Kerman province, however, a shorter, springier fibre is made; it is remarkably durable and has a sheen. In Fars, local wool is used by the Qashqai nomads and settled rural weavers, often from their own sheep flock. This type of wool is soft, shiny and absorbs dyes very well. Among them, there are certain special ones, for example, Heriz rugs which are soft while they are very durable. part of the reason for this rare quality of Heriz and many northeastern rugs is that mount Sabalan sits on a significant deposit of copper consequently traces of copper in the drinking water of sheep produce very high-quality wool that is far more resilient than wool from other areas.
Goat's Hair, Silk Carpet, and Camel's Hair
Mixed with coarse wool from sheep, goat’s hair is sometimes used for the warps of tribal carpets, especially those woven for domestic use. This combination can also be found in Baluch flat-woven carpets and is favoured for the selvedges of the coarser Baloch carpets.
In the past, silk was used in the warps and piles of finer carpets and sometimes also to provide areas of white in deep maroon or crimson and black wool pile. In central Persia, particularly Kashan, Nain, and Qom, carpets were woven entirely of silk.
Camel’s hair is used for less expensive carpets in the Chahar Maḥal region and Baluchistan, as well as to provide tan and brown colours in the weaving of kilims in Khorasan and Baluchistan.
Short-staple cotton and Cotton based carpets
Short-staple cotton is grown in many parts of Persia and has been an essential source of fibre for the carpet industry. Commercially prepared undyed cotton is typically used in the warps or foundation of finer carpets produced in commercial workshops since it is less pliable and keeps its shape better. Carpets that are fully cotton-based are known for their durability. There are also all-cotton weaves such as Ziloo, which are mostly woven in the desert areas of Iran due to the coolness of the cotton. They are similar to kilims except that kilims are woven from wool but ziloo is made from cotton.
2- Hand-Spinning; The eye-catching effect of the human hand
Although very labour-intensive and far more expensive than machine-prepared materials, hand-spun wool is used in high-quality Persian carpets. This is because the human touch gives the wool a twist, causing the yarn to have an uneven diameter. This uneven diameter absorbs colour differently, leading to a striation of colour called “abrash”. Using the wool of several kinds of sheep can also result in an abrash, in which the carpet’s colours change from one end to the other. This asymmetrical product ultimately produces a carpet pile that is more eye-catching and exotic. Hand spinning also strengthens the yarn. After the wool is spun, it is prepared for dyeing.
3- The excellent quality of Persian dyes
For centuries, Persian dyes have been renowned for their excellent quality. As with rugs, dyeing techniques in Iran vary from region to region. Each one is known for its particular methods and distinctive colours. Iranian dyers, Traditionally, have used vegetable, animal, and mineral substances in their dyeing process, as well as mordants, which make the fibres more absorbent. It can also help to fix the colour saturation.
Making each dye requires its own unique process and effort, for example, Red and its shades – the most popular colour in Persian carpets – can be obtained from madder extracted from the root of Rubia Tinctorum or even from insects such as cochineal. Blue is produced from the fermented leaves of the indigo plant. Yellow dyes come from various natural sources; examples are the flowers of Esparak (Reseda Luteola), safflowers (Carthamus Tinctorius), autumn vine leaves, pomegranate rinds, turmeric, Somaq, and saffron. Shades of brown, beige, and tan are made from green walnut hulls and oak bark. Dyeing natural dark wool with iron oxide gives a deep, luminous black; it is most often found in Baluchistan. In other regions, black was obtained by utilising oak galls. The Lor and Bakhtiari get black from the hulls of wild acorns.
In most Iranian cities, there are proficient dyers (called Rang-Raz) whose private recipes have often been handed down from generation to generation. In remote rural areas and among tribal groups, dyeing is conducted by women, who gather flowers, bark, fruit seeds, peels, and nuts. The skills and knowledge they possess are passed on to their daughters and daughters-in-law.
Natural dyes Vs. Chemical dyes
Natural dyes have many advantages compared to chemical dyes. They age beautifully, and the colours become more subtle over time as they fade, yet they still retain their initial beauty. They are more harmonious aesthetically. As experts believe, every natural colour has a spectrum of other colours. Also, they are lustrous, eco-friendly, and allergy-free.
4- Perisan Carpets' handknotted construction
Looms are used to weave Persian carpets. These frames, which are of two types vertical and horizontal, include two threads that are pulled and knotted. The threads held tight vertically are called the warp. The weft threads weave horizontally in and out of the vertical warp thread. Vertical looms are used in rural and urban workshops and horizontal looms, which require a lot of effort and skill, are commonly used among nomadic weavers as they are more comfortable for travelling nomads.
As said earlier, Persian rugs are primarily made of wool, silk, and cotton. Sometimes, camel or goat wool is used instead of sheep’s wool. But synthetic materials are rarely used in handwoven rugs. The foundation can be made of cotton and sometimes silk. And the pile is made of either wool or silk, or both. Unless two pieces are sewn together, the breadth of a Persian rug is dictated by the loom’s width.
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Each knot is made, the rug begins, ever so slowly, to take shape. The material, tightness – knots per square centimetre – and height of the pile all contribute to the rug’s appearance, texture, and density. High knot density often signals high quality.
Persian knot or asymmetrical knot
Although symmetrical knots are widely used in Iran, One of the particularities of many Persian carpets is the use of asymmetrical knots or Persian knots. Typically, intricate Persian rugs use this knotting technique, whereby the yarn is woven around a warp thread and then slipped under an adjacent thread before being pulled through to complete the pile. The Persian knot is better for elaborate designs since it can be tighter. Symmetrical knots are tied around two or four warp threads, resulting in larger knots and limited precision but a firmer rug. Other knots such as Jufti are used in low-quality and ingenuine Persian carpets resulting in rickety rugs.
Photos from the book “Carpetology” (This book is available for reading in dyad artisan store.)
