Persian Rug Making
Persian carpets are woven from handlooms, usually using the Persian, or ‘Senneh’ knot. Persian rug making is a skilled craft, and has been developed over many centuries and carpets have been created in dedicated craft centres.
Making Persian Rugs
Persian carpets are usually made from wool, although camel hair and silk are used in some regions. Silk is expensive but gives the carpet lustre. Silk does not attract moths unlike wool, but silk does wears quicker than woollen carpets.
The quality of wool varies with the climate, breed of sheep and time of year of shearing. Kush wool is a particularly sought after material when making Persian rugs. This wool is long, soft and silky. Shearing of this wool only takes place in the spring, and it is found on the belly of sheep and goat.
Natural Dyes
Traditionally the dyes used in Persian rug making were found in natural sources such as vegetables, animal and insect products. The secret of dye recipes for a particular colour were often kept within families. Yarn is boiled in the dye until the desired colour tone is reached.
Chemical dyes were banned from Persia in the 1900s, with authorities trying to protect Persia’s rug making heritage. Whilst the belief that chemical dyes fade quicker is unfounded, the majority of experts believe that vegetable dyes fade to be softer and more attractive than chemical dyes.
Persian Knots
Persian knots are used across Persia. The Senneh knot is created by looping yarn around one warp thread, passing the yarn behind the second warp thread, and it is then left loose under this warp. It creates an asymmetric pattern, unlike the Turkish knot.
Turkish Knots
In some areas the Turkish ‘Ghiordes’ knot is used, having been introduced by Seljuk Turk invaders in the distant past. The Turkish knot is created by passing the yarn over two warp threads, and creating a loop around each warp thread.
City knotting is nearly always finer than nomadic knotting. This is so noticeable that Persian rugs are often categorised into two groups: Persian ‘tribal’ rugs and Persian city rugs. Tribal rugs are woven by nomadic groups, and tend to be smaller with fewer knots per square inch.
Handmade Persian Rugs
Handmade Persian rugs are created on looms. The warp threads are stretched vertically, and weaving starts at the bottom. First a row of knots is tied across the warp threads. Between one and three weft threads are pulled widthways across the loom, followed by another row of knots. This process is repeated to create the rug.