The Iranian carpet is the best known cultural export from Iran. The early carpet patterns were usually symmetrical with geometric and floral motifs designed to evoke the beauty of classic Persian gardens. Towards the end of the pre-Islamic period, stylized animals and human figures become more popular. People fall in love with the combination of significant symbols and the organic colors. The design and the weaving methods of persian carpets differ according to the Iranian tribe.
When looking for the right rug among the many at an Iranian carpet shop, it can be hard to choose. Here are some things We would recommend you keep in mind, especially if you are buying an expensive handmade Iranian carpet.
- If you are a small family of one and two, you can choose a light colour as you won’t make it dirty often, while if you are a bigger family you should better get a darker coloured carpet so you don’t have to wash it too often as washing reduces the life of the carpet.
- Make sure the carpet is straight along all its sides. By folding the carpet from the middle you will see if all the edges overlap evenly.
- Check out the carpet in the natural light to make sure it has a smooth colour across the whole surface and to see if its soft, flexible and shiny.
- To test the quality of the texture and see if the carpet is decayed or was repaired and darned, check the back of the carpet.
- Be sure you are buying your Persian carpet from reliable shops and have them give you a properly stamped receipt for it.
- Make sure the color and size match with your home decoration!
Kilim
Gilim or kilim is double sided flat-woven mat without knots. These rugs are thinner and softer than knotted carpets and rarely used as floor coverings. They are popular as prayer mats and wall hangings. Nomadic women of Iran weave a simple kind of carpet in their leisure time called Jajim (coarse). Jajim is softer and lighter than Kilim.
