Persian and Oriental Carpets- A Brief Description

It has yet not been established as to where and when did the art of carpet making originated. However, it is said that it might have been originated in the "Carpet belt" which includes Persia (Iran), Turkmenistan, central Asia, Mongolia and China. Different types of carpets that are considered to have originated in this region include Persian Knotted Carpets, Turkoman (Turkmenistan) Woven Carpets, Indian Woolen Carpets, Caucasian Woven Carpets, Chinese Felt Carpets, Turkish Knotted Carpets, and Mughal Indian Carpets. These carpets originated during 3rd century to 16th century BC.

Popular Carpets by Origin
Carpets & rugs are used all over the world to be used as protection against cold and decorative home furnishings. However, the regions famous for their carpets nowadays are, Persia, India, Turkey, China, Tibet, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia though they are also made in North America and some of the European countries. Handmade carpets are liked mostly by all but as they are very expensive and can't be afforded by all, machine made carpets have also become popular.

Carpets made in different regions have different designs, patterns and finishes. The most popular carpets today can be categorized broadly into two types of carpets

• Persian Carpets
• Oriental Carpets

Persian Carpets and Rugs
The most famous carpets of the world are the Persian carpets. They come in amazing designs. Persian carpets are divided in two main part that can be identified by the variations in design. These two parts are the field or the interior part and the borders that frame the interior of the carpet. Mainly the following designs can be found on a Persian carpet:

Geometric Designs
Repeated vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines mostly symbolize sacred icons of different tribes.

Curvilinear and Floral Designs
Plants, flowers, animals or other natural elements are depicted on the carpets with great skill and craftsmanship.

Medallion Design
Central medallion is used in the core of the Persian carpets. No two medallions are completely identical. The design of the medallion is usually spiritual and the inspiration generally comes from the domes of the Mosques.

Persian Knots
Persian carpets are hand knotted carpets, tied with a single looping knot. Best carpets may contain more than 50 knots per square cm. Low to average Persian carpets contain about 30 knots/sq. cm. Knotting carpet is a labor intensive work and requires a great skill and craftsmanship. Perhaps that explains the high prices of these carpets. An average weaver is able to tie almost 10,000 knot per day. the quality of the carpet also depends on the knot density. The higher the knot density, more prized will be the carpet.


Oriental Carpets
The carpets made anywhere in Asia are called the Oriental carpets. They are also hand knotted carpets. The knotted carpets apparently originated in the Carpet belt amongst the nomadic tribes and spread with them. The most famous designs found in these carpets include the Persian designs, the Turkoman allover designs, geometric and plain tribal designs. Oriental carpets and rugs can be categorized into

• Turkish Carpets
• Kashmiri Carpets
• Tibetan Carpets
• Nepalese Carpets
• Chinese carpets
• Pakistan carpets
• Afghanistan carpets
• Kurdish carpets
• Turkoman carpets
• East Turkestan carpets
• Armenian carpets
• Baluchi carpets
• Baluchi carpets

Making of Oriental Carpet
Yarns made of natural fibers are mostly used for making oriental carpets. When made by a tribal, cotton fiber or silk fiber is less likely to be used. Wool fiber is readily available to them from their herds of sheep and goats. However, Shoulder wool is the longest, and most expensive, as well as ideal for rug weaving. Cotton is sometimes used for the warps and wefts because it is stronger and can hold its shape better, even after washing. Strands of wool yarn are looped around the warp threads and then knotted with hands. The term 'knot' is used for a strand of wool yarn which is looped around two adjacent warp threads and then cut to form the pile. Knots are tied in horizontal rows across the carpet at right-angles to the warp threads with the free ends making a unit of the pile. The ends of the pile is cut with shears to make the irregular surface more uniform.

The number of knots can vary from 20 to 600 per sq inch, although an exceptionally fine carpet can hold almost 1,000. When a few rows of knots are tied across the width of the loom, the weaver beats the warps and rows of knots with the help of a beater or a comb. Once a strip of pile about an inch is woven across the width of the loom, the weaver clips back the nap.

Other Carpets
Other than the hand made carpets made through knots, other carpets are also made with the help of machines. These carpets are mostly categorized as Western carpets as they are mostly made in the countries of Europe and United States. The materials used for manufacturing these carpets include both natural and synthetic fibers. However, the most popular carpets are manufactured from wool only. These carpets contain motifs and designs that are mostly inspired by the Persian and Oriental carpets and rugs. Apart from such replicas, modern and contemporary designs are also used on these western rugs and carpets. They are mostly named after the country where they are produced. Some of these western carpets and rugs include:

• French carpets and Rugs
• English Carpets
• Greek Carpets
• Spanish Carpets
• Scandinavian Carpets
• Sardinia Carpets
• Balkan Carpets
• United States Carpets