Anatolian Ghileems are, as a rule, light in weight and coarse in texture, with many open spaces and with bold geometrical Turkish designs and bright colors. They are made of good wool and are finished with a fringe at each end. As a rule they can be distinguished by their prayer niche or by a seam through the centre, the larger sizes, which do not come in the prayer design, usually being made by sewing two long, narrow pieces together.
SENNA GHILEEM
(HERATI DESIGN)
PROPERTY OF A. U. DILLEY & CO.
KIS GHILEEM
Kis Ghileem, which means "girl rug," are Turkish Ghileems made by the Mohammedan girls for their suitors, it being a Turkish custom for a girl, as soon as she becomes engaged, to weave one of these rugs to present to her future husband in order to show the quality of her handiwork; therefore, being judged to a certain extent by the grade of her weaving, she naturally does her best. For this reason many of the so-called Kis Ghileems are of excellent workmanship. They carry typical Turkish designs and are finished with a fringe at each end. In size they vary from two and one-half to seven by four to fifteen feet, the smaller sizes usually being of the prayer style, while the larger ones are made of two parts sewed together, little care being taken to make the patterns of the two pieces match well. Frequently we will find small tufts of wool, beads or a lock of the weaver's hair attached to the warp threads as a talisman.
SHIRVAN GHILEEM
Shirvan Ghileems are always recognized by their designs, which are like those of no other Ghileem, being composed of numerous stripes running across the whole width of the rug and covered with geometrical devices similar to those of the Daghestan. These stripes are from eight to twelve inches wide with narrow plain blue, green, or red stripes between. They are nearly always woven in one piece and of good wool, but are heavy and coarse, with large openwork spaces. In size they vary from three to eight by six to twelve feet, the average being five by nine feet.