{"id":1614,"date":"2019-05-31T12:06:17","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T16:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/98.87.68.78\/anatomy-of-oriental-rugs\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T19:11:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T19:11:58","slug":"anatomy-of-oriental-rugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rugsource.com\/blog\/anatomy-of-oriental-rugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Anatomy of Oriental Rugs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For centuries, oriental rugs were used in tents, homes, and palaces to provide warmth, comfort, and a soft floor. Over time, the inherent value of the oriental rug<\/a> started to be appreciated throughout the world. The high quality, attention to detail, and fine materials used have made this type of rug one of the most sought-after. The evolution of the oriental rug<\/a> from its humble origins is based not only on the design but on the anatomy of the rug itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oriental Area Rug<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It is not known when the first oriental rugs were created, but the oldest surviving rug dates back to the 5th<\/sup> century B.C<\/a>. The rugs<\/a><\/strong> have evolved over time, getting more elaborate in design along with the use of materials. They are handcrafted over time, sometimes years, and create a story with their design that is imbued with the culture and environment from which the rug has been made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why there are so many different types of oriental rugs<\/a> because their design and materials are classified by the region from which they were created. Which is the reason why an oriental rug<\/a> made in North Africa is different than one made in the Middle East which is different than one made in Central Asia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authentic oriental rugs<\/a> date back past the first century A.D. and must come from the North African, Middle Eastern, or Central Asia region to be considered this type of rug. While the simpler rugs created in the early days might have taken weeks to produce, the larger, more elaborate rugs took a year or longer using the hand-woven techniques of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oriental Runner<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The materials which\nare used are natural, such as wool, cotton, and silk. In some areas\nsuch as China and Russia, you may find rugs that incorporate\nhorsehair or yak hair which denotes what was available in that area.\nMost rugs have a similar construction in that the fibers are spun and\nstretched to create strands called a ply. The more ply present, the\nstronger the rug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cotton tends to be\nthe foundation of most rugs consisting of the warp and weft threads\nas it is stronger than wool. The wool tends to shrink, but is quite\ncommon, so it fills out the remainder of the rug. Because silk is so\nfragile, it is generally used for tapestries and rugs that hang on\nthe wall. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural dyes that\nare made from plant roots, such as oak, onion, and the like date back\nto when the rugs were first created. Artificial dyes started to be\nincluded around the 1860s and became more popular as they became less\nexpensive to create. Artificial dyes are now commonplace, although\nthere is now a revival in some parts of the world with using natural\ndyes. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oriental Wool Rug<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From the outside\ngoing in, most oriental rugs<\/a> have a design that consists of the\nselvedge or outer secondary border. The selvedge is where the warp is\ntied to prevent the rug from unravelling. A large, main border and\nthen another secondary border that usually surrounds the design\nelement in the middle. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medallion in the\ncenter is usually one of distinctive design which may have a pendant\ndesign above, below, or both. The four corners of the inner secondary\nborder are often places for design elements to be included. The main\nborder is the area between the outer and inner secondary boarder and\nmay have design or color patterns in place. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A better\nunderstanding of oriental rugs starts with the history and the\nterminology used in the creation of the rug itself. What follows are\na few of the more common terms that you will find associated with the\nrug. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kilim<\/strong>: This is an oriental rug design<\/a> that is flat and does not reveal any knots. However, you can see the space between the warp threads. Kilim rugs<\/a> are often used for covering the floor although some designs make them perfect as tapestries. They lack the durability of a pile rug however, which is why they are more used for horse blankets and prayer rugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pile Woven<\/strong>: This is a strong, durable rug that does show off the knots used in its construction. It may be used like a Kilim but is more often found on the floor as a traditional rug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pile<\/strong>: Threading a yarn around two or more strings of warp and then tamped down which creates a row. When the threads are severed, they create a surface which is raised. Either a Turkish or Persian knot is used to create the pile. The Turkish one is more common and symmetrical while the Persian is asymmetrical and allows for elaborate design patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What follows are a few other terms that you may run across when looking over oriental rugs<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n