Geometric Motifs

Woman

Gul

Deer

Camel

Curvilinear

Boteh

Symbol

Flower

Flower

Flower

Cloud

Pattern

In the rug industry, pattern is divided into the three categories of curvilinear, geometric, and pictorial.

Curvilinear

Patterns created with smooth curving lines are called curvilinear. Curvilinear patterns can be seen in all three layouts of all-over, medallion, and one-sided. Creation of curves generally requires a higher knot density. However, a high knot density does not automatically result in a curvilinear pattern. In curvilinear rugs, the pattern is usually drawn on a squared paper knot by knot. This extremely detailed drawing is called cartoon. Then the pattern is carefully copied from the cartoon onto the rug. This technique is more commonly used in workshops. Kerman, Kashan, Esfahan, Nain and Qum styles are good representations of the curvilinear pattern.

Geometric

Patterns created with straight lines are called geometric. Their designs are created mostly with right angles, diagonals, triangles, and other geometric shapes. Geometric patterns can be seen in all three layouts of all-over, medallion, and one-sided. With some exceptions, geometric rugs are predominantly woven by nomadic tribes and village groups. The ones woven by nomads tend to be simple and the ones woven by villagers or workshops can have either simple or very complex motifs such as geometric rugs of Heriz (Persian) style, which are very intricate. Baluchi, Turkoman, Turkish and Caucasian styles are good representations of the geometric pattern.

Rug Styles

Rug styles of the world include Persian, Chinese, Turkoman, Caucasian, European, Anatolian, Tibetan, Indian, Baluchi, North African, Native American, and East Turkestan. In addition, many of these styles have sub-styles; for example, Tabriz is a sub-style of Persian style.
Many styles or sub-styles are made in their place of origin as well as in other countries or areas. For example, a Tabriz style rug may be made in Tabriz; it could also be made in India.

Pile

Pile refers to the material (fiber) used for weaving rugs. Only natural fibers are used in handmade rugs. The main pile materials are wool, silk and cotton. Sometimes, goat and camel hair are also used by nomadic and village weavers.

Foundation

Foundation refers to the basic structural components of handmade rugs. These components consist of warps and wefts.

Warp

Warps are vertical strands of fiber which stretch from the top to the bottom of the rug. Warps are an extremely important component because the knots are tied to them and the weft strands are passed (woven) through them. Even tension of all warp strands is essential in producing a rug without wrinkles. The extensions of warp strands are rug fringes. Fringes are knotted at the ends to ensure that the wefts and the knots do not unravel.

Weft

Wefts are horizontal strands of fiber that are passed (woven) through the warp strands. Unlike the warps, wefts are not structured prior to weaving. They are added before and in between the rows of knots to secure the knots in place. Each side of the rug, where the wefts begin and end, is called selvedge.

Foundation Material

In general, the same material is used for both warp and weft, and it is often cotton. Wool is used as a foundation material in some nomadic and village rugs because wool is readily available to these weaving groups. Silk is generally used in foundation of rugs with silk piles. Rugs with silk foundation and pile are very exceptional and expensive. These rugs are light in weight and are very finely knotted. Silk is a very good foundation material because it is very strong and keeps its shape.

Tibetian Knot With Respect to Warps and Wefts

Jufti Knot With Respect to Warps and Wefts

Turkish Knot With Respect to Warps and Wefts

Persian Knot with Respect to Warps and Wefts