What is a rug? | Weaving rugs + all kinds of Iranian rugs

Carpet weaving is the art of weaving carpets made of wool or cotton, which is often done by rural women and nomads. Unlike carpets, rugs are woven without lint and have various uses such as floor coverings, wall coverings, blankets, horse rugs, khorjins, clothes, back covers, and table covers.

Different types of rugs are known by different names based on their appearance or texture. On the other hand, each region of the country weaves its own rugs, and Fars, Qashqai, Shahsuni, Hersin, Baloch, Turkmen and Zarand rugs are among the most famous rugs of different regions of Iran. In this article, you will learn more about the art of carpet weaving and its history, and you will know the unique characteristics of different types of carpets.

What you will read about the carpet in this article:

What is a rug?

A rug is a simple, traditional and old hand-woven rug that is often woven from the wool of domestic animals and has the same function as a carpet. with the difference that this mattress has no lint and is completely smooth and flat. In better words, the carpet can be introduced as a carpet that is obtained by weaving woolen weft on cotton threads or wool.

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The use of carpet is not limited to flooring or underlay, and especially the nomads of the country use it for various things such as wall coverings, blankets, horse blankets, rugs, clothes, etc.

Glim, Zilo, Jajim and similar carpets are used in Persian literature in the same sense; But in practice, Gilim is different from Jajim and Zillow. In the distant past, Persian speakers also knew the rug as “plus”; As, this name is also mentioned in the poems of famous poets such as Ferdowsi:

Choose a house to find Yabi Plus

Thank God for that house

Carpet weaving is considered a special art for rural women and nomads; An art that is seen in Iran mostly in provinces such as Fars, Mashhad, Kurdistan, Yazd, Ardabil, Gorgan, Kerman, Balochistan, Azerbaijan, etc.

There are different types of rugs, which are known by names such as Glimcheh, Masand, Khorjin, Verni, and Jwal. The broken geometrical patterns used in carpet weaving are often in the form of triangles, quadrangles, six ears and rhombuses, or in the form of flowers, bushes, cashews, as well as domestic and predatory animals.

On the other hand, each region weaves its own carpet with unique characteristics, and for this reason, the name of each carpet will be different according to its origin. Shahsoni rug, Qashqai rug, Harsin rug, Baluch rug, Fars rug, Turkmen rug, Lori rug and Zarand rug are among the types of rugs in Iran, which are named according to different regions of the country.

Carpet weaving yarn

The thread used for carpet weaving is usually made of cotton, wool and sometimes silk. The thread is usually selected from cotton thread; This type of yarn is sold in the market in different thicknesses and slightly more expensive than wool. For this reason, some people use wool instead of cotton thread to make rugs.

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Wool is available to weavers more easily and cheaper than cotton; Especially in nomadic areas that raise different livestock, it is easily possible to use wool from sheep, goats and even camels or horses. On the other hand, in the past, nomadic women used animal wool to produce floor coverings such as rugs and other handwoven items; Because wool has the ability to protect the body from cold and heat. Woolen rugs, as insulation, prevent moisture from reaching the surface of the ground, and for this reason, they are considered suitable underlayment in different areas.

Today, carpets are woven with different yarns, of which industrial yarns are a part of these types of yarns. Unlike wool yarn, which takes on a rough state during spinning, industrial yarns are very soft and do not have a rough state after weaving. Merino, acrylic and cotton yarns are among the industrial yarns available in the market, which are used in the weaving of handicrafts and machine-made carpets. In addition to the softness of the yarn, the price of industrial fabrics is also much lower and all sections of the society can afford it.

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Although the industrial rug is softer and cheaper available to the consumer, the originality of the woolen thread or the handwoven rug and other handicrafts woven from it cannot be compared with any of the industrial threads. Due to the naturalness of the wool yarn obtained from the body of animals, as well as the polishing and spinning steps that are done by hand, the price of this type of yarn and the handwoven products obtained from it is much higher.

In some cases, silk thread is also used for the weaving of exquisite rugs, which happens less frequently due to the high cost of the material.

The size of the rug

The size of the rug is directly proportional to its type of use; For example, they use small rugs for Janmaz and larger rugs for flooring or tents. In general, rugs are divided into five categories: small rugs, rugs, medium rugs, large rugs, and long rugs.

• Small rug: Small carpet weaving is not very common due to its low functionality. This type of rug is often woven between 60 and 65 cm in width and 90 to 100 cm in length, and is usually used for baby blankets and baby crib flooring.

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• Rug: It is usually more delicate than larger rugs and is woven between 100 and 110 cm wide and 160 and 170 cm long. The use of the rug is not limited and it is used for things such as clothes, chadorshab, etc. Nowadays, the texture of this type of carpet among the Bakhtiari and Qashqai nomads has faded.
• Middle rug: The dimensions of the middle rug are usually 150 cm in width and 250 cm in length; This size of carpet is used as a carpet, underlay and even a tent curtain, and is the most common choice of rural and nomadic weavers.
• Large rug: A large rug is usually woven with a width of 170 cm and a length of 280 cm. The large rug is one of the most widely used handwovens by artists in this field; Because they use it as a mattress, furniture, bed, and cover for supplies. Also, nomads use this size rug to wrap and cover their horses and camels during migration.

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• Long carpet: The long carpet, which is also known as “Rogue” or “Saranza” among the Qashqai nomads, is woven with a width of approximately two meters and a length of more than four meters. The application of this type of carpet is exclusive to covering the furniture inside the tent, and according to the size of the tent, its size will also vary. In other words, the bigger the tent, the longer the carpet. So that the rugs of the tents of the readers and elders of the clan sometimes reach more than seven meters. There are also much longer and rare rugs, which are for very large tents; Of course, the number of this type of carpet, a handful and their buyers, are estimated to be very small.

Carpet dyeing

Dyeing is very important in the quality of the rug; Because one of the most important features of a high-quality carpet is its color stability. In fact, if the rug does not return the so-called color after washing and maintains its color stability, it is considered a high-quality rug. Therefore, the use of yarn that is dyed in the right way has a direct effect on the final quality of the work.

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In the past, they used yarn dyed with natural materials to weave the rug; The method that continues to this day in the weaving of original and high-quality traditional rugs. The materials used for natural dyeing are often obtained from plant and mineral sources; But sometimes dyers also use animal sources for this purpose.

There is no specific rule for dyeing carpet fibers with plant materials, and this work will be different according to the vegetation of the area, dyeing facilities and the taste of the dyer. Sometimes, in order to increase the value of the rug, make it look old and stabilize its color, after finishing the weaving, the rug is washed with tea and walnut skin, so that the color of the rug is older and its effect is greater.

History of the rug

The first human hand-made braids were probably made of plants, according to some sources. However, the evidence suggests that early humans first used animal skin as clothing and then thought of using its wool as well.

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With the passage of time, the production of yarn and the advent of spinning, humans began to use yarn for weaving, and at first, they made clothing for themselves. Over time, they thought of using the underlay; Gradually, they learned how to spin wool and finally, they created the first rugs so that they no longer sit on the hard, cold and dry ground.

It is said that the oldest existing carpet was discovered in ancient Egypt. However, it is still not clear which nation, tribe or nationality first started to weave rugs; Because some believe that the art of carpet weaving has been popular in the Middle East countries such as India, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, etc. since the distant past.

According to archeological evidence, the inhabitants of the Iranian plateau and neighboring lands were engaged in raising livestock, spinning wool and weaving around 8,000 years ago. Traces of spinning and weaving spindles and braids with goat and sheep hair dating from thousands of years ago have been found in the caves of Behshahr and Hutu in Behshahr, as well as in the Silk Hill of Kashan.

The oldest discovered carpet in the world named “Pazyrik” belongs to 350 to 500 years BC and the date of the beginning of carpet weaving is estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 years BC. On the other hand, carpet weaving has been an introduction to carpet weaving; So, it can be said that the art of carpet weaving dates back to 2,500 years and according to some sources, between 3,000 and 5,000 years BC.

The difference between carpet and rug

At first glance, carpets and rugs may seem similar to each other; But there are many differences in terms of structure, type of fibers and raw materials, type of weave, map, application and price in these two old weaves. In general, the carpet or rug is softer, softer and has fluff and carpet, harder, harder, smooth and without fluff; But in the difference in the details of these two traditional weaves, other things are also mentioned.

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Structure

The main structure or texture is the first and most important difference between carpet and rug. The carpet has three main dimensions: length or warp, width or weft, and height or pile, and the rug does not have the dimension of height or pile.

At the time of carpet weaving, short cut yarns (piles) are wrapped around the threads and then, by placing the wefts on them, they secure the work; But in the carpet, there is only warp and weft and short threads (piles) are not visible. So that the weavers pass the weft along the threads and create a coherent structure by compression.

Raw materials

The raw materials used to weave carpets or rugs are different from each other. Rugs are older than carpets, and due to their longer history, weavers continue to use traditional raw materials, namely wool and cotton threads, to weave rugs.

The fibers used in hand-woven carpets are more than rugs and in addition to wool and cotton, they also include other options such as silk and fluff. In machine carpets, more options will be available with the addition of synthetic fibers.

The amount of raw materials is another difference between carpet and rug. According to the investigations, about 50 kg of raw materials are used for a 6-meter wool carpet and about 9 kg of raw materials are used for a rug. This also goes back to the same main difference, that is, the presence or absence of lint; Because each row of a carpet needs 100 to 200 knots.

have

The dars used for weaving carpets or rugs are generally divided into two vertical or horizontal categories. The vertical rack is standing. This type of holder is either placed on a base or leaned against the wall; The weaver sits facing it and weaves. The horizontal or lying gallows, as its name suggests, is placed horizontally on the ground; The weaver sits on it and weaves.

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Vertical dar has occupied more than 90% of rugs and carpets, and only a few carpets are woven on horizontal dars. For example, the weavers of carpets such as “Gashqai hand-woven carpet” should use a horizontal loom; Because these carpets are woven in nomadic areas and inside the tent, and it seems difficult and sometimes impossible to use a vertical rope inside the tent. Unlike carpets, 90% of rugs are horizontal.

Plan and map

The carpet is made up of thousands of knots, and this allows the weaver to have a high working power and create different designs and plans. For this reason, the texture of the carpet needs a map and must also learn to read maps.

Carpet weavers face a lot of limitations in creating different designs; Because the rug has no lint. In many cases, the carpet texture proceeds in an abstract way and there is no plan to create it. Therefore, the weaver must use his imagination to create the desired design.

Texture speed

Due to all the differences between carpets and rugs that have been mentioned, carpet weaving is done much faster and easier than carpets. In the term and according to the artists of this area, carpets are “woven” and rugs are “bedweaving”; Therefore, carpet weaving requires more details and more time; While in carpet weaving, it is impossible to create these details, and therefore, weaving time is also saved.

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washing up

In terms of weight, the carpet is much heavier than the rug, and this will affect the time of its washing. On the other hand, the carpet is considered a flat and smooth weave; But due to the different type of texture, the carpet needs more time and effort to stain and clean.

Meanwhile, due to the different types of rugs available, sometimes there are exceptional cases. For example, some carpets, such as woolen carpets, which have high water absorption, will be more time-consuming and difficult to wash.

Application

The carpet is durable and of good quality; But this quality is very low compared to handwoven carpets. In addition to that, the softness and value of the carpet is also at a higher level; Therefore, especially in urban communities, carpet is less used as a house floor covering. However, today this traditional handwoven has become a luxury item that is used by interested people for decoration.

What is carpet weaving?

Carpet weaving is an original and deep-rooted art, often reserved for rural women and nomads of Iran. However, it is also seen in other countries of the Middle East. Some believe that the art of carpet weaving has long been practiced in Eastern Europe and North Africa in addition to Central Asia; In fact, in every place where livestock such as sheep, goats and camels were raised and the people of that area specialized in weaving, carpet weaving was also popular.

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Carpet weaving is the art of weaving warp and weft threads. Most hand-woven rugs have wool warp and weft; But according to the type of rug and its thickness, it can be cotton warp thread and fluff thread.

In general, Iranian rugs are woven in two ways: “wefting” and “wefting”. In the wefting method, only warp threads (so-called chele) and weft are used; In such a way that the colorful weft threads pass below and above the warp threads and create different patterns on the carpet. In this method, both on the carpet will be smooth, even, and of the same color; These rugs are called doro. In the wefting method, in addition to warp and weft, thin weft is also used; So that the wefts pass through the warp threads in a twisting mode, and then by passing the thin weft and beating it with a comb, the warp and weft threads are completely involved and create a uniform texture. Weaving method is considered to be a method between rug weaving and carpet weaving, and rugs that are woven in this way are called “sumak”.

There is also a type of authentic Iranian carpet called “Glim Chakdar” which is woven in a special way and in the form of a staircase. The color of the weft thread in this type of rug changes a lot, or in other words, in this weaving method, certain distances are created between the threads in the chela. So, in fact, due to the color change between the threads and the creation of many gaps, a stair-step pattern is created in the grooved carpet.

Iranian rugs are divided into three general categories, plain rugs, varnished rugs, and embossed rugs, based on different weaving methods.

Simple or flat carpet

A simple, double-faced or flat rug, as the name implies, is woven in a simple style and with a wefting method; In such a way that both sides of the carpet are completely the same and it can be used on both sides. This type of carpet is considered the most common type of handmade carpet. Among the simple rugs in the country, we can mention Qashqai, Sane and Bijar rugs in Kurdistan, Musand (a rug specific to Nemin and Anbaran regions of Ardabil) and simple rugs of Ardabil, Semnan and Zanjan.

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One-sided or varnished carpet

One-way carpet or Sumak, which has Caucasian origin, was woven in Iran and Türkiye since the distant past. The one-sided carpet is less thick than the plain carpet and has a “wefted” texture. The design and patterns of one-sided rugs usually include simple motifs, geometric patterns, and animals.

Turkic-speaking nomads were the first weavers of one-sided rugs in Iran, and in fact, “Verni” is the name of one of the types of rugs in Ardabil and East Azerbaijan provinces.

Embossed or tufted carpet

Embossed or tufted carpets are the most similar to hand-woven carpets among the types of hand-woven carpets. In fact, this type of rug is knitted from the carpet map, on the thread of the chele, and at the end, the cream or the extra fluff is picked. With the difference that in the prominent carpet, they do not use various designs and maps and design the background simply.

Application of the carpet

In the traditional way, the carpet is used as a rug and to cover the floor. Also, it is used as a bed for carrying animals, furriers and curtains.

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Various uses of carpets are more common in the lives of nomads of different regions who are the main producers of carpets. They not only use rugs as underlays, but also as wall coverings, jal asb (horseshoes), tent strips, and salt shakers (bags for transporting and storing various materials such as salt, wheat, beans, etc.).

In the meantime, the use of the carpet as a “salt pan” may seem a bit strange. Nomadic salt pans are as practical as today’s banks; Legumes and grains are kept inside these carpet salt boxes to protect them from moisture and insects. A layer of lining cloth is also placed inside the saltbox to prevent food from coming into direct contact with the wool.

Nowadays, especially in recent years, many urban people also tend to use this hand-woven and traditional rug in their homes due to its classic and beautiful appearance. The original design and pattern and warm colors of the rug are such that it looks beautiful and eye-catching even in small sizes; Therefore, it is also used in the preparation of cushions, furniture covers or puffs, tablecloths or in the form of panels. In a traditional Iranian atmosphere, a rug can be a suitable covering for exquisite backs.

All kinds of rugs

Types of hand-woven rugs are classified according to different areas. In other words, the carpet of each region has its own characteristics and characteristics, and for this reason, each one is known by its own name. In the meantime, according to experts, the most famous carpet in Iran is the Qashqai carpet and the most elegant is the Shahsoni carpet.

Qashqai rug (the most famous rug in Iran)

Qashqai rug is the most famous name among the types of handwoven rugs due to its variety of designs and colors. Since this type of carpet is usually woven during the time of atrak or migration, the variety and beauty of the scenery around the weaver has a special and direct effect on the design of the carpet.

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Bright and cheerful colors, the elegance of wool, the brilliance of colors, the use of animal designs such as goats and peacocks, as well as unique geometric designs such as octagons and eight-pointed stars, are among the most important features of Qashqai rugs.

Shahsoni carpet (the most delicate carpet in Iran)

Shahsoni rug, as its name implies, is woven by the women of the Shahson tribe (one of the largest tribes in Iran). The variety of textures among the Shahson tribes is very high; Sumac (verni) rugs are the main weave of Shahsuni rugs. Soft colors are used in Shahsuni rugs.

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Shahsuni rug is generally woven with coarse and dry wool; But it is very delicate and the designs of animals such as deer, horses and birds can also be seen in it. The use of large and prominent pictures is another characteristic of Shahson rugs; These images are used in a row in the design.

Harsin rug

Hersin is one of the main centers of carpet weaving in Kermanshah province. Harsin rug is more flexible than other available rugs, and there are many different designs and roles in it according to the imagination and taste of the weaver. This type of carpet has a certain color and it is often woven with dark, green, white and red colors. In recent years, they also use magenta color.

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The filling of the margins and the background with very diverse designs is another characteristic of Harsin rugs; So, in this type of carpet, there is rarely an empty space. Goat wool is usually used for the border of the rug due to its anti-bead properties.

Baloch rug

Paying attention to the weather and environmental conditions of the region is the most important element that can be seen in Baloch rugs. The people of this region of the country have always tried to show their desire to have suitable water resources and beautiful pastures in their handwovens.

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Most of the Balochi rugs are woven with striped designs and different designs and colors in each row. The main characteristic of this type of rug is the use of dark colors such as brown, liver, dark red, camel and dark blue, which is sometimes adjusted with lighter colors such as green, yellow and red.

Khamsa or Persian rug

In addition to the Qashqai rug, which has the largest volume of weaving and rug production in Fars province, other rugs are also woven in this area, of which the Khamsa rug is one of the most famous types.

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The name of Glim Khamsa is derived from the mixture of five Shirazi tribes and among them, there are two Arab speaking tribes, two Turkish tribes and one Persian tribe. In terms of texture, Persian carpet is sumaki or verni (one-sided) and for its texture in this province, only horizontal and metal dar are used.

The use of dark colors in the background should be introduced as the most important feature of the Khamsa rug. This rug is also woven with diagonal stars in the form of overlapping rhombuses.

Glim Lori

Lori rug is considered one of the highest quality rugs in Iran. Black, green, blue and white colors are mixed with the special motifs of the region to create a beautiful Lori rug. This type of carpet is often woven for large rugs and to store things; For this reason, weavers strengthen its border with “carpet weaving”.

Gilim Zarand

This rug, which belongs to the Turkic-speaking people of Shahson (resident of Zarand, Kerman), is woven in the form of “chakdar”. Being long, narrow, and at the same time strong and durable, is one of the main features of Zarand rug. Flower and plant design, as well as geometric designs such as mesh rhombus and bergamot, are among the most designs that are used in the weaving of Zarand rugs.

Gilim Sane

Sane carpet is special for the city of Sanandaj and has a special elegance. Bush designs and diagonal lines are among the most common designs of Saneh rugs. The most beautiful Saneh rug has bergamot in its center and a bush is delicately woven into it.

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Kurdistan rug

To weave the Kurdistan rug, they use dola spun wool yarn for the weft and cotton yarn for the warp, and the colors of this rug usually include deep or pale red, pink, blue and navy, deep or pale green, and yellow. The dars used by Kurdistan carpet weavers are mostly vertical and often metal.

Turkmen rug

The Turkmen rug, which, as the name suggests, comes from the Turkmen tribes in Khorasan and Golestan provinces, is a strong rug and at the same time, light. The design of this type of rug is based on a basic plan called a flower and is formed in the form of 6 or eight faces. Each flower is a diagram of a family; The life force (the symbol of the father) is in its center and other peripheral motifs (the symbol of the relatives) are separate, but next to each other.

Another important feature of the Turkmen rug is its color. Red color with different bright shades, along with orange, blue, green and sometimes yellow colors, is found more in this type of carpet.

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Are you interested in handicrafts? What do you know about carpet weaving? Please share your view, opinion and experience about this traditional and authentic art with us and other Kojaro companions.

_{Cover photo source: arias; Photographer: Unknown}