Explanations of Terminology

Every profession and industry has its own jargon. Oriental carpets is no exception. For this reason I have set out an explanation of commonly used terms.

CARPETS / RUGS. Those items in which the design is built up row by row by the tying of individual knots which creates a piled surface.

KELIMS / TAPESTRIES are weavings where the design is created by various methods of flat weave or embroidery across the face of each one. They have no pile.

ARTEFACTS. Basically these are items which can be made in pile or kelim techniques and are usually small functional items such as saddle bags or trappings used to furnish tents and huts, or adorn animals, for daily or ceremonial use.

SIZES.

The term “carpet” is used for any item which exceeds around 250 x 150 cms. or 8 x 5 feet. Anything more than 4 x 3 metres is known as an “oversized carpet”.

A rug is a piled item less than 250 x 150 cms.

AGE

NEW is generally a term applied when the rug has not been used before and you will be the first private owner.

RECENT means a piece that can be up to 25 years old.

OLD. We generally use this term for a piece between 25 and 50 years of age.

SEMI ANTIQUE is between 50 and 100 years old.

ANTIQUE means 100 years or more.

DESCRIPTIONS

Some descriptions can be very misleading and many meaningless adjectives are awarded. Beware. The most common descriptions are :

FINE. This relates to the number of knots in any square centimetre or inch. Naturally the higher the number of knots the greater clarity of design, durability and quality. If I award the title of “fine” to a rug it means it is in the top 10% of example from its particular origin.

UNUSUAL means that a rug has aspects of design or other attributes that are out of the ordinary for its type.

RARE. If I had to find a very similar example I would expect to do so after a considerable search internationally.

VERY RARE. I don’t think I will get another one.