Oriental Rug Designs Oriental Rug Designs
The names of Oriental rug patterns are derived from the city, village, or tribe where particular patterns were first woven or traded. Each rug weaving or trading center is responsible for creating many patterns. A list of all the patterns from all the rug weaving regions of the world would number in the thousands. We can classify most of the patterns into four broad categories: Geometric, Floral, Pictorial and Decorative. We will describe each of these categories as follows.
Geometric
Geometric design rugs were originally woven by nomadic tribes and small villages on primitive looms. They are of great simplicity and boldness with a coarse weave. They have an overall pattern which may consist of stars, crosses, stylized flowers and other polygons. There is no implied movement in the design, however they are striking in their originality. Weavers often used wool, instead of cotton, for the warp and weft as well as for the pile. The color palette is limited with a preference for bold colors. Authorities in the history of design believe that geometric patterns are the most primitive and were the first designs used in rug weaving. The Oushak rug shown below exemplifies a geometric design.
Floral
Floral design rugs were first woven in large cities by professional artisans. They are characterized by a fine weave consisting of minuscule knots capable of rendering curvilinear forms. Weavers generally use cotton for the warp and wool for the weft. Silk may occasionally be used for one or both. In very fine carpets silk is combined with brocaded threads of silver and gold. Floral designs are considered formal, typically including flowers, blossoms, lattices of vines, trees and Arabesques (flower-swirls). The color palette is broad and draws from a multiplicity of colors. A floral design rug often has a central medallion. A rug without a central medallion is known as an all over design. Both are framed by one or more inner guard stripes, bands and borders.
Floral designs are identified with Persian carpets, which by the 6 Century A.D. were known the world over. However, it was the Egyptians, Assyrians and later the Greeks who created and perfected the intricate floral designs. Later the Persians brought rug weaving to its splendor by borrowing from other arts. They incorporated the magnificence and perfect symmetry from architecture, the elaborate patterns and motives of calligraphy and the beauty and detail of illuminators. Finally in the 16th century, Shah Abbas, the Turkish ruler of Persia, sent artists to Italy to study under Raphael. As a result Persian rugs acquired an Italienesque touch. The Kashan rug shown below exemplifies a floral design.
Pictorial
Pictorial design rugs are woven paintings. They are finely knotted, often using silk for the warp and the weft. They depict hunting expeditions, gardens, architectural niches or other realistic and mythological scenes. The Arabic prayer rug, "Sejjadeh", used by Muslims the world over, is also pictorial. The pictorial rug shown below is a Tabriz.
Decorative
Decorative design rugs have a modern look to them, with patterns that defy symmetry and imply movement. They are woven using hand-spun wool resulting in a soft, plush pile. Vegetable dyes are used to create their attractive muted colors. The designs can be reproductions of classic or modern designs. Their informal design and unusual colors make them the rugs of choice among designers and young people. The Mughal rug shown below is an example of a decorative design.
Famous Oriental Rug Patterns
Below is a list of some of the well-known patterns from various regions. To see the rug, click on the name. Can you classify the type of pattern?
Ardebil Bidjar Bokhara Canakkale Dergazin Ersari Hereke Heriz Ispahan Joshagan Kashan Kazak Kerman Lilahan Milas Nain Oushak Prayer Qum Samarkand Tabriz
