Oriental
Rugs Technical Analyses and Recordation
Senior - Oriental Rugs
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Technical analysis for the lay person
(which is what we shall consider most of us) can be
simple and it can be complicated. We shall take the
easier route. The component parts of the knotted rug are
the warp, the weft and the pile (or woof). There is also
the selvedge at the edges or binding and sometimes the
area at the fringes has significant treatment.
The origin of the woven rug is
important, certainly, but the makeup of the rug is our
concern. We shall record its component parts and how it
was all put together. We shall list the clues for solving
a mystery or we shall list the repetitive and obvious.
Analysis has more than one purpose. It can describe the
rug for recordation. It can be used to classify by type.
It can be used to compare. It can be used to identify
lost and stolen rugs.
The subject of dyes will be a future presentation.
Recent methods of identifying dyes will cast new
approaches in this more sophisticated area of analysis.
Materials
Cellulose Type: Cotton.
Cotton is a cellulose hair-like substance that covers
the seeds of the cotton plant. It is machine or hand spun
to create a continuous thread. It is usually white.
Cotton is sometimes dyed, often in shades of blue, for
use as the weft.
To test for cotton: If recognition is not easy, one
can take a small amount in a pair of clean tweezers and
set it afire with a butane lighter. The odor of burning
wood, rags or paper indicates that the material is
cotton.
Mercerized Cotton.
John Mercer, 1791-1866, a calico printer, developed a
process using caustic soda to render cotton in a very
silky-like finish. This enhanced its appearance and its
ability to absorb dye stuffs. Some Caeserea rugs are made
using rayon or mercerized cotton as the "silk"
fiber.
To test: Same as cotton.
Linen.
Linen is thread made from the flax plant, an erect and
sinuous plant. It is not generally as soft and absorbent
as the cotton thread. It is thinner in diameter and
sometimes used in fine rug manufacture. It is also not as
often bleached and can have a green-gray coloration when
used in rug construction.
To test: As in cotton, burning gives the odor of
burning wood, rags or paper.
Jute.
Jute or Ramie is sometimes used alone or blended with
wool or cotton. This has been used in lower grades of
Indian and Chinese rugs.
To test: As in cotton it smells like wood, though a
bit musty due to oils present.
Rayon.
Rayon is sometimes used as "artificial silk"
or "ART CYLK" in Turkish and Pakistani rugs.
Some Baluchis have been made in rayon, stripped for aging
color change and sold as silk.
To test: Same as cotton.
Wool and Hair Products.
Wool is the soft covering or coat of domesticated
sheep and other animals but especially sheep. It is used
in the manufacture of rugs and carpets. Hair is the
slender thread-like outgrowth of mammals that is
sometimes used in the manufacture of fabric and
furnishings. Goat, camel and yak hair are used in the
manufacture of rugs and carpets. Wool and hair contain
excess amounts of oil and coatings that are removed as a
matter of practice in its preparation for use. Wool and
hair are used in their natural color, washed, dyed,
chemically washed, machine and hand spun.
To test: If not readily recognizable, burn test yields
the odor of burning hair and lumps when multiple fibers
are present.
Silk.
Silk is the fine strong ,lustrous fiber produced by
the larval state of certain insects; here the silk worm
is considered. Used more often in presentation and
high-priced rugs, silk is not as durable in ordinary use
but it is in demand because of its strong eye appeal.
To test: Burn yields odor of burning chicken feathers
or hair and balls into small ashes.
Metal and Other Products.
Metal, such as gold, silver and gold-washed copper, is
sometimes used in presentation rugs and commissioned rugs
or other than ordinary production. A rug, presented to
the White House by a "Mr. H. H. Topakian,"
Consul General of Persia (Honorary) at the turn of the
century, was a silk "Geodes" prayer rug
festooned with pearls and emeralds. Some kilims have
accents of gold threads woven in them.
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Single Ply Yarn
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Double Ply Yarn
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Four Ply Yarn
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Spin and Ply of Yarn
Quite simply the fibers of the described
materials having been gathered, cleaned and
treated according to the local system are then
spun in a single strand. They are spun either to
the left or the right. If they are spun to the
left, it is termed "Z" spun and if spun
to the right, it is termed "S" spun.
The single strand of the "Z" strand
is plied with another "Z" strand in the
opposite "S" direction to give us a
two-ply strand, (or three or four to give us the
ply of yarn desired).
Quite often village rugs are embellished by
using two colors of natural wool, dark and light,
plied together for use as warp threads.
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THE WEAVE
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kilim
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Sumac
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Knotting and
Brocading in Persia
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Flat Woven Types
Kilims, Palas, Sumac, Verneh, Sileh and
Djidjim are all flat woven by passing weft
threads of different colors over the unseen warp
threads.
These threads can pass completely across and
give a smooth appearance; this is called Palas.
Or they can go a certain length and reverse on
themselves according to a preconceived design;
this is called Kilim. Various techniques involve
returning and leaving a gap at that point.
Successive returns to create the design leave a
slit and therefore "slit weave tapestry
weave." Or it could share a warp thread with
the adjacent color. This technique leaves a ridge
at the joining. To avoid this and give clarity of
design, the slit weave is used and the smallest
possible slit is employed by staggering or
indenting the design line.
The Sumac weave usually involves passing
obliquely over four threads, back under two and
returning obliquely to form a small herringbone
pattern. (See diagram.) After this, a weft thread
is passed and may be beaten level. Short lengths
of wool hang loose in the back. This technique
can produce the knotted carpet design.
According to Hubel, "Sumac technique
occurs in Phrygian fragments of textile of the
early Seventh 'Century at Gordion in Central
Anatolia."I The Sileh, like the Sumac, is
over four warps, back under two, obliquely down
and then a return obliquely upward. The best
known design is with the large "S"
so-called vishap, or dragon design, with the
white being in cotton.
Djidjim is like the Sumac in construction but
more refined by using finer threads and passing
over two warps and back around one. Usually each
row is obliquely upward and a thin unplied yarn
is run between each row. The appearance of the
back is like a knotted rug save the occasional
loose thread.
Verneh is from Karabagh and Kazak districts
and like the Sumac does not reveal its warp or
background weave. However, its background is
usually brick red or shades of yellowish to dark
brown. Embroidery is often applied.
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Persian, Senna, or
Asymmetrical Knots
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Gordian Turkish or
Symmetrical Knots
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Left Bidjar Weave
- Right Hamadan weave
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Knotted Types
The knots that we will most probably deal with
and will identify will be the Gordian (or
Turkish) and the Senna (or Persian). They are
illustrated herewith. Variation of direction of
the knots, application of the weft(s) and the
closeness of the warp can produce a broad range
of qualities.
They are tied on two vertical warp threads.
When four warp threads are used (in two pairs of
two threads) this is called a Jufti knot. Juft
means double. Back-gammon players bless a
"juft" or a double set of numbers of
the dice.
It would serve the novice well to examine many
examples of the types. We have knots that open to
the left, or open to the right. We have wefts
with one, two, three or more "shots" (a
single pass of weft). We have a heavy weft thread
with a thin weft as its pair. This is seen in the
Bidjar weave. Single weft is called "Senna
Baft" or Hamadan weave.Some rugs actually
have a mixed technique of both Gordian and Senna
knotting. No rhyme or reason. Maybe they've
changed weavers. Aside from Caucasians, Chinese
rugs are often found with asymmetrical knots in
the body and symmetrical as the edges are
approached.
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Sample Technical Analysis
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A-140 Armenian Embroidery Circa 1910. Brought
to U.S.A. by an American Missionary and sold to
Harold Keshishian in 1975. Warp: cotton, 1 Z
yarn
Weft: cotton, 1 Z yarn
Design: cotton, 2 Z yarns, S plied
Colors: (3) eggplant purple, wine red, bright
yellow
Condition: very good. No selvedge.
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A-103 Karabagh S.S.R. "Avedis
Hagopov", ca. 1915-4' 1" X 7t An
interesting and striking rug. Crisp white natural
main border with the wine cup and serrated leaf
border in reds, blues and yellow gold. The two
guard borders are reciprocating red and blue
diamond "spear tips". The inner borders
are "waves", contiguous "S",
and waves. The dark blue ground is painted over
with spirit-soluble dyes. The four
diamond-lozenge medallions are flanked by
square-around-diamond small lozenges. Left and
right of the second medallion are two valiant
Armenian soldiers complete with rifles. Above the
upper medallion is inscribed Avedis Hagopov. In
poor but happy condition (see worn painted
ground) excellent color and good quality. Bought
in Chicago in 1978 for $450. Coincidence: Owner's
name is Hagop (Keshishian), brother's name is
Avedis (Keshishian).
Warp: wool, ivory, 2 Z yarns, S plied
Warp: wool, pink, 2 Z yarns, S plied, 2 shots
Pile: wool, 2 Z yarns, S plied Ghiordes
(Symmetrical) knot, 8 Horizontal by 9 Vertical
(72 knots per square inch)
Colors: (6) light and dark blue, black, red,
ivory, tan
Condition: poor, painted,
Selvedge: 4 warps in 2 cords red, blue and
yellow wool
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| A-102 Lenkoran, dated 1909 4'2f' X 9f5" Long
rug, the Lenkoran design suggests a stretched
animal skin. The tan wool ground of this long rug
has four medallions in the typical design. The
field is covered with a variety of stylized flora
and fauna. The panel at the top of the rug had a
date of " 1803" at purchase, an
alteration soon corrected. The strong Christian
flavor is shown in the crosses. In very good
condition, good color and average to good
quality. Bought in 1973 for $450.
Warp: wool, ivory, 3 Z yarns, S plied
Weft: wool, ivory and brown, 3 Z yarns, S
plied, 2 shots
Pile: wool, 2 Z yarns, S plied, Ghiordes
(Symmetrical) knot, I I Horizontal by 8 Vertical
(88 knots per square inch)
Colors: (8) red, green, black, blue, orange,
chartreuse, ivory, brown
Condition: excellent,
Selvedge: not original, brown wool
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A-139 Kazak-4'4" X 9'5" Karachopf
dated 1838, a double prayer design of the most
vibrant and equally softened colors as contrast.
The five polygon medallions are set on a sea of
blue-green variant dye lot bands. The two humans
are found by crosses, birds and rosettes. Spears
with the "back to back" C designs are
in competition with still other devices. The
latch-hooked bar on the ivory border appears as a
capital "N". A "happy rug."
See Schurmann, Caucasian Rugs, P. 99.
Warp: wool, ivory and brown, 3 Z yarns, S
plied
Weft: wool, ivory and brown, 3 Z yarns, S
plied, 2 shots
Pile: wool, 2 Z yarns, S plied, Ghiordes
(Symmetrical) knot, 7 Horizontal by 9 Vertical
(64 knots per square inch)
Colors: (6) yellow, red, blue, ivory, green,
brown
Condition: good,
Selvedge: red wool, 8 warps in 4 cords
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JAMES M. KESHISHIAN A.S.A.
4505 Stanford ST.
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 654-4044
Mark
Keshishian & Sons, Inc.
Presented at Third Annual Symposium Armenian Rug
Society New York, NY
(Editors Note: The author is a founding member and has
held many offices in the Armenian Rug Society including
President.)
For Further Reading:
Guide to Rugs
& Books
La Miniature En
Orient
Southwest Asia Time
Line
Thanks and best wishes,
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
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