Antique Persian Carpet
Dhurrie
A flatwoven rug from India, usually made of cotton or wool.
Dozar
A Persian name used to describe a rug that measures approximately 4.6 x7
Field
The central area of a rug that is surrounded by the border. The field may be open (blank) or contain medallion(s) or an over-all pattern.
Flokati
Traditional Greek rugs, hand-woven from sheep's wool. Flokati rugs come in different weights from 1400 grams to 4000 grams. The higher the gram count, the more plush and more expensive the rug will be.
Foundation
The basic structure of handmade rugs, which consist of warps and wefts. The knots are tied onto the foundation to form the pile of the rug. It is most often cotton but can also be wool or silk.
Fringe
Warps extending from the ends of a rug which are treated in several ways to prevent the wefts and knots from unraveling.
Gabbeh
A Lori word to describe fairly coarse, long-piled rugs made by nomads of the central Zagros Mountains. They are woven with bold abstract patterns. The term is now used to denote finer rugs from the same region and today, their artistic value has been recognized.
Guard Borders
Bands which flank the main borders to separate them from the beginning of the field.
Gul
A medallion that is either octagonal or angular in shape. They are typically found in Bokhara rugs woven in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan as well as the Turkoman regions of the Caucasus and are often repeated to form an all-over pattern in the field.
Hand-Hooked
Similar to hand-tufted rugs, except that the pile is left looped rather than cut. Canvas backing is spread on a frame and a hooking implement is then used to pull the yarn through the fabric. Latex glue is then applied to the back of the rug to hold the loops in place. Another layer of cloth is added to the back of the rug.
Hand-Knotted
Hand-knotted rugs are traditionally made with wool or silk. The weaver loops wool or silk around the warps one at a time, creating a thick pile. Cotton yarn, the weft, is then woven through the warps to hold them together. Generally the cotton yarns are tied off to form a decorative fringe.
Hand- Made or Hand-woven
A rug that is either hand knotted, hand woven, or hand tufted. This term would also include other rugs that include many braided and hooked rugs. They are generally more expensive than machine-made rugs.
Hand -Tufted
Hand-tufted rugs are made much like hand-hooked rugs, except that the loops are sheared to create a flat surface. Tufted rugs can be made with combinations of fibers, and offer a great value.
Herati Pattern
Also known as the "Fish Pattern". A motif consisting of a flower inside a diamond and curving leaves outside the diamond which are parallel to each side. This motif is commonly used in the field of an all-over layout. Many versions of Herati pattern exist from geometric to curvilinear and simple to complex.
Kelim or Kilim
A rug that does not have a pile. They are made by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands to create a flat, pileless surface.
Knots
Wrapping of yarn around the foundation (warp) secured by the weft.
Ghiordes or Turkish Knot
Senna or Persian Knot
Foundation:
↕ warp ↕ ↔ weft ↔
Knots (Jufti)
Also termed a “false knot” it is a knot tied over
four wraps instead of the usual two.
Knot Count
The number of knots per square inch which determines the fineness of weave of the rug. It is determined by counting the knots vertically and horizontally and multiplying them together to get the knots per sq inch.
Kork
Fine wool taken from the belly of sheep
The Gallery of Rugs Directory: Sponsors
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