Oriental Rugs, Antique and Modern

by W. A. Hawley

Large numbers, also, are settled in Persia, where they cultivate the soil of small tracts of land, or live in villages of stone houses. Many of them are scattered around Lake Urumiah. Others have made their homes in the district of Kermanshah, and not a few have wandered as far as Khorassan. But wherever they may be, they are distinguished by their appearance; for the men are bold and handsome, and the young women, whom custom permits to appear unveiled in public, are beautiful as well as graceful.

There is no racial distinction between the Kurds who live the pastoral life and those who dwell in villages, or between the Kurds of Asiatic Turkey and those of Persia; yet environment has produced a marked difference in their textile fabrics. Those woven by the tribes that live among the mountains that encircle Lake Van and extend to the north of Diarbekr embody the wild characteristics of the weavers. They are strong and coarse, with close weave, long nap, and bold patterns, that suggest Caucasian influence devoid of artistic feeling. In some of them is a large central diamond or lozenge surrounded by latch-hooks, as well as floral forms so conventionalised as to be purely geometric; now and then Arabic symbols and letters are scattered over the field. Moreover, the colours lack the delicate shades of Persian rugs, but possess rich, strong hues obtained from native dyes that applied to the excellent wool give it a warm, lustrous appearance. Brown is very largely used. There are also dark reds and blues brightened by dashes of white and yellow. Only the Kazaks, Tcherkess, and one or two Asia Minor weaves are trimmed with such long nap, which, together with the deep colours and long shaggy fringe, give these pieces a semi-barbaric appearance possessed by no other rugs. Sometimes they are confused with the Mosuls; but as a rule the pile is longer, and they are more coarsely woven. In fact, the yarn is so coarse that it is not unusual to see pieces with only thirty or forty knots to the square inch. Like the Persian-Kurdish rugs, they rarely come in large, almost square shapes, and are frequently decidedly oblong. They may, however, easily be distinguished from them by their cruder patterns, darker colours, coarser texture, and the fact that each of the two threads of warp encircled by a knot is equally prominent at the back.

Type Characteristics. Colours, principally brown, red, and blue, with minor quantities of yellow, green, and white, and the natural colour of the undyed wool. Knot, Ghiordes. Knots to inch horizontally four to seven; perpendicularly, six to nine. A half knot, as it appears at back, is as long as, or longer than, wide. The rows of knots are closely pressed down. Warp, wool; each of the two threads encircled by a knot is equally prominent at back. Weft, wool, of coarse diameter, and often dyed a reddish colour. A thread of weft crosses twice between every two rows of knots. Pile, wool, occasionally camel’s or goat’s hair clipped long. Border, generally of three stripes. Sides, a heavy double overcasting, usually in brown or black, occasionally in several different colours. Lower end, a narrow web, through which runs a coloured cord, and warp loops. Upper end, a narrow web, one or more rows of knots and long, coarse warp fringe. Texture, very stout. Weave at back is of very coarse grain. Length, five to sixteen feet. Width, two fifths to two thirds length.

Persian Kurdistans.—Nowhere is the influence of association among weavers more evident than in the Kurdish rugs woven by the tribes settled in the rich valleys of Northwestern Persia, as is apparent in weave, colours, and pattern, which differ widely from those seen in the Kurdish rugs of Asiatic Turkey. The warp is only rarely of coarse goats’ hair, and is generally soft, brown wool. The pile is much shorter, so that the drawing is clearly defined. Likewise, the colours are more varied and of more delicate tones so as to include lighter shades of green, rose, and ivory with the darker reds, blues, and browns. But the chief distinction consists of the more artistic pattern. The medallion in the centre of the field with corner pieces in which appear some form of repetitive pattern is most common. Instead of large figures are often the more dainty Herati designs borrowed from the Feraghans and the Sehnas, or the pear design from the Sarabends. Now and then is seen a rare old piece with field completely covered with drawings of the tree of life and strange floral conceits; but the pattern that is pre-eminently typical of this type of Kurdish pieces is the Mina Khani, though it is occasionally adopted in other rugs. The white and yellowish flowers, connected by a lattice work sub-pattern of brown or olive, rests on a ground of dark blue, that in accordance with a feature peculiar to rugs of Kurdish weaves varies from one end of the field to the other, so as to suggest that their wandering life often made it difficult to obtain the roots and herbs necessary to produce similar shades. As is rarely the case with other patterns, the naturalistic flowers that are pendent from the undulating vine of the main stripe and the flowers of the field have nearly the same drawing. The two remaining stripes of the narrow border have most simple vines.

Almost without exception rugs of this class are stoutly woven. To assure firmness, one thread of warp is depressed below the other in tying the knots; and the weft that is thrown across for filling is of fair quality. On account of the firm texture, excellent wool, and good colours it is still possible to obtain moderately old pieces, that as objects of utility as well as ornament are desirable for their sterling qualities.

A similarity exists between the Persian-Kurdish, Mosul, and Bijar rugs; but a precise, even if easily overlooked, difference in the weave serves to distinguish one from the other. As may be seen by examining the backs of typical specimens, in Mosuls every thread of warp lies in the same plane parallel with the surface of the pile; in the Persian Kurdistans one of the two threads of warp encircled by a knot is depressed at an acute angle to that plane; and in Bijars one of the two threads of warp encircled by a knot is doubled under the other so as to be at right angles to that plane.

Type Characteristics. Colours, principally red and blue, also yellow, green, and white. Knot, Ghiordes. Knots to inch horizontally seven to ten; perpendicularly, eight to twelve. A half knot, as it appears at back, is no longer than wide and is frequently not so long. The yarn is loosely woven, so that each separate ply is distinct. The rows of knots are pressed down, so that the warp is largely concealed and the weft partly hidden at back. Warp, wool; one of the two threads encircled by a knot is generally much depressed below the other at back; but sometimes each is equally prominent. Weft, wool, of medium diameter. A thread of weft usually crosses twice between every two rows of knots, only rarely once. Pile, wool, and occasionally some camel’s hair of medium length. Border, three to four stripes. Sides, a heavy double overcasting in dark colour. Lower end, web crossed by a parti-coloured cord, and warp loops. Upper end, web crossed by a parti-coloured cord, and loose warp fringe. Texture, very firm. Weave at back is of coarse grain. Usual length, six to twelve feet. Usual width, five eighths to two thirds length.

Karajes.—Dwelling near Hamadan, in the northwestern part of Persia, are tribes who weave rugs that are known in the markets as Karajes. In their colour scheme, length of nap, and texture they resemble many of the Kurdistans; but in the technicalities of weave they show a marked difference. As a rule, a single thread of weft crosses only once between two rows of knots, or in a few pieces two threads of weft pass side by side as though one. In this particular they resemble Hamadans; but the alignment of their knots at the back is more regular, their weft is inserted with some slack, their warp is of wool, and their weft is almost always of wool. They are generally runners, with long nap of soft, lustrous wool, with rich colours, and with border of three stripes. The pattern is Iranian, and very often consists of a small bush or sprig of leaf and flower disposed in formal array throughout the field. Sometimes the floral forms are placed within the diamonds formed by a trellis pattern, but more frequently they are arranged in rows like the pear designs of Sarabends. In some pieces they are very much conventionalised and suggest similar figures seen in rugs of Southern Caucasia; and in others stem, leaf, and flower are very realistic. Another pattern frequently followed consists of three or four large diamond-shaped medallions extending from one end of the field to the other. The borders are moderately narrow, and an undulating vine of well-known Persian character generally appears in one or more of the stripes. As these pieces are almost always comparatively old, the vegetable dyes that were used for colouring have mellowed, and have a richness of tone that is accentuated by the depth of pile and softness of wool. The prevailing tone of many is a deep plum colour.

Type Characteristics. Colours, principally dark blue or plum and red, with minor quantities of yellow, brown, and white. Knot, Ghiordes. Knots to inch horizontally six to twelve; perpendicularly, seven to twelve. A half knot, as it appears at back, is as long as wide, and occasionally is longer. The rows of knots, which have even alignment at back, are not firmly pressed down. Warp, wool, rarely cotton; each of the two threads encircled by a knot is equally prominent at back. Weft, wool, rarely cotton; a single thread of medium diameter crosses once between every two rows of knots; but in parts of the same rug two, three, or even four threads of small diameter will cross side by side as a single coarse thread. Occasionally a thread of weft crosses three or four times. The filling of weft stands up as high as the knots at the back, giving an even surface. Pile, wool, of medium length or moderately long. Border, of three stripes. Sides, a heavy double overcasting. Lower end, web and warp loops. Upper end, web and short fringe. Texture, moderately loose. Weave at back is of coarse grain. Usual length, eight to fourteen feet. Usual width, three eighths to one half length.