For someone who has not devoted their life to creating Oriental rugs, the language that surrounds these elegant pieces of artwork can be hard to understand. However, the value of Oriental rugs is tied directly to how they are made, so knowing the terminology will help you make an educated decision when shopping for a rug. Here is a quick guide to the important terms of Oriental rugs.
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Dye: Oriental rugs are colored by many forms of dye. Some are natural (like cochineal which is made out of the dried bodies of insects) while others are synthetic. Knowing what sort of dye was used is essential to understanding the time and place that the rug was created.
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Weft: Horizontal strands inserted to form the foundation of the rug. Oriental rugs can be made with single, double, or triple wefts.
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Warp: The beginning part of the rug where its cotton, wool or silk base is attached to the loom. Warps run the length of the rug and are woven with the wefts to create the stable structure of an Oriental rug.
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Hand knotted: Created by hand alone, knots are made around the warp strands. With these Oriental rugs, the more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug.
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Flat woven: Instead of using knots, the warp strands are simply passed through the weft strands either by hand or on a loom.
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All-Over Design: Oriental rugs made in this fashion do not bare a central medallion. Instead, the same pattern covers the entire surface of the rug.
