"Kaleen" the book about Persian carpets by Aditya Arora

Contents 3 From Royaty to Decor (Intro) 4 A brief history of Persian Carpet and its patterns 10 10 Styles of Oriental & Persian Rugs: From Aubusson to Qashqai 21 Inspiration Board 24 Material 37 Techniques and structures 40 Knots 42 Sketchs 53 Swatches 62 Resourses

From Royalty to Decor It is my pleasure to share with you in this colourful book a selection of some of the best Persian Kaleen designs. Kaleen: Extraordinary carpet designs for decor is a celebration of life through weaving. it spans thousands of miles across borders and ocean and cultures. In each chapter, I will share with you my sensibilities about carpet design and how I view and treat them as they are used for aesthetic appearance. Kaleen design brings to life artistic expression, offering viewers a fresh way to experience colour texture and form as they reveal scene after scene in this book.the focal points of each design are strategically planned, with surprises and excitement waiting at every turn. design themes and colour schemes set the foundation, sizes and proportion strike the visual balance. I invite you to celebrate the beauty of life in all its exuberance. dance with me to a lovely serenade of colours and forms and let us allow our hearts to cherish in love and joy, health and happinessâ&#x20AC;Ś now and always.

A brief history of Persian Carpet and its patterns

The history of Persian Carpet -a culmination of artistic magnificence- dates back to 2,500 years ago. The Iranians were among the pioneer carpet weavers of the ancient civilizations, having achieved a superlative degree of perfection through centuries of creativity and ingenuity. The skill of carpet weaving has been handed down by fathers to their sons, who built upon those skills and in turn handed them down to their offspring as a closely guarded family secret. To trace the history of Persian carpet is to follow a path of cultural growth of one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen. From being simple articles of need, floor and entrance coverings to protect the nomadic tribesmen from the cold and damp, the increasing beauty of the carpets found them new owners - kings and noblemen, who looked upon them as signs of wealth, prestige and distinction. Russian archaeologists Rudenko and Griaznov in 1949 discovered the oldest known â&#x20AC;&#x153;knottedâ&#x20AC;? carpet in the Pazyryk valley, about 5000 feet up on the Altai Mountains in Siberia. Dating back to the fifth century BCE The Pazyryk carpet is of rare beauty and woven with great technical skill. It was found preserved in the frozen tombs of Scythian chiefs, which were 2400 to 2500 years old, it is now kept in the Hermitage Museum of Leningrad. Another rug found in the same area, dates back to the first century BCE.

When Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he was struck by its splendour, and it was probably he who introduced the art of carpet making into Persia. However, historical records show that magnificent carpets adorned the court of Cyrus the Great, who founded the Persian Empire over 2,500 years ago. It is also said that the tomb of Cyrus, who was buried at Pasargadae near Persepolis, was covered with precious carpets. Even before his time, it is very likely that Persian nomads knew about the use of Knotted carpets. Their herds of sheep and goats provided them with high quality and durable wool for this purpose.

8 The first documented evidence on the existence of carpets came from Chinese texts dating back to the Sassanid Dynasty (224 - 641 CE). In 628 CE, the Emperor Heraclius brought back a variety of carpets from the conquest of Ctesiphon, the Sassanian capital. The Arabs also conquered Ctesiphon in 637 CE, and among the spoils brought back were said to be many carpets, one of which was the famous garden carpet, the "Spring time of Khosro". This carpet has passed into history as the most precious of all time. Made during the reign of Khosro I (531 - 579 CE) the carpet was 90 Feet square. The Arab historians' description is as follows: "The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones" However, the Arabs cut this magnificent carpet into many pieces, which were then sold separately. Turkish Knot After the period of domination by the Arab Caliphates, a Turkish tribe, named after their founder, Seljok conquered Persia. Their domination (1038 - 1194 CE) was of great importance in the history of Persian carpets. The Seljuk women were skilful carpet makers using Turkish knots. In the provinces of Azerbaijan and Hamadan where Seljuk influence was strongest and longest lasting, the Turkish knot is used to this day. In the Turkish (or Ghiordes) knot the yarn is taken twice around two adjacent warp threads and the ends are drawn out between these two threads.

10 Styles of Oriental & Persian Rugs: From Aubusson to Qashqai

Aubusson Rug: Origin: Villages of Aubusson and Felletin in central France. However, Aubusson-style rugs are currently produced in China, India, and Pakistan. Size: Vintage Aubusson are typically large (10 x 17 is quite common) with a luxurious pile. Colors: Soft pastels (especially Aubusson blue and dusky rose) and ivories Design: Floral motifs and pretty painterly patterns

Bokhara Rug: Origin: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and central Asia Size: Varies Color: Solid, jewel-toned background color with 5-8 repeating colors in rug pattern Design: Highly stylized pattern that repeats over entire surface of rug

Chobi Rug (also known as Peshawar): Origin: Traditionally produced in Pakistan Size: Varies Colors: Antiqued appearance featuring earthy, golden tones and abrash (differing shades of one color) throughout the pile Design: Symmetrical border pattern and floral motifs

Gabbeh Rug: Origin: Style of Persian rug traditionally made in southwest Iran. Gabbeh is Farsi for â&#x20AC;&#x153;raw or natural, uncut or 'in the rough'". Size: Medium to large Colors: Palette of 5 - 7 bright colors Design: Often feature stripes or geometric patterns (which lend to a modern look)

Kazak Rug: Origin: *Qazak is a city in Northwest Azerbaijan but Kazak rugs are traditionally woven in Afghanistan and Armenia. Size: Varies Colors: 3-7 colors and a common palette of deep indigo, red, and ivory Design: Geometric motifs of animals, flowers, and tribal medallions

Khotan Rug: Origin:The ancient city of Khotan (Hotan) in the southern region of Xinjiang (Chinese Turkistan). Size: Traditional Khotan rugs are longer and narrower than standard rugs Colors: Can be rich and warm (deep reds and golds) or light and pastel (pale pinks and light grays) Design: Incorporates Chinese and central Asian influences, stylized geometric and floral patterns

Oushak Rug (also called Ushak): Origin: UĹ&#x;ak, Turkey Size: Medium to large Colors: Silky, shimmery wool in shades of cinnamon, terracotta, grey, and soft pastels Design: Large-scale geometric floral patterns

Overdyed Rug: Origin: Overdying began in Istanbul as a way to brighten old, faded woven rugs. Size: Varies Colors: The original colors of a rug are diffused via bleaching and washing techniques, and the rug is then re-dyed in one solid color (hence the term overdyed); the result is that the original pattern and design are visible through one muted color. Design: Varies depending on the style of rug used in overdying process

Persian Medallion Rug (also called Kashan): Origin:Iran and Pakistan Size: Varies Colors: Diverse palette of 15-25 colors Design: Floral motifs with unique central medallion

Qashqai Rug: Origin: Iran Size: Varies Colors: Typically features 6-9 alternating colors; deep indigo blue, madder red, or gold/yellow are often the featured colors Design: Bold, geometric designs interspersed with tribal symbols

http://www.iranchamber.com/art/articles/brief_history_persian_carpet.php

The Persian carpet reached its zenith during the reign of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century. Indeed the first concrete proofs of this craft date back to this period. Approximately 1500 examples are preserved in various museums and in private collections worldwide. During the reign of Shah Abbas (1587 - 1629), commerce and crafts prospered in Persia. Shah Abbas encouraged contacts and trade with Europe and transformed his new capital Esfahan, into one of the most glorious cities of Persia. He also created a court workshop for carpets where skilled designers and craftsmen set to work to create splendid specimens. Most of these carpets were made of silk, with gold and silver threads adding even more embellishment. Two of the best know carpets of the Safavid period; dated 1539 come from the mosque of Ardebil. Many experts believe that these carpets represent the culmination of achievement in carpet design. The larger of the two carpets in now kept in London's Victoria and Albert Museum while the other is displayed at the Los Angeles County Museum. The court period of the Persian carpet ended with the Afghan invasion in 1722. The Afghans destroyed Esfahan, yet their domination lasted for only a short period and in 1736, a young Chieftain from Khorasan, Nader Khan became the Shah of Persia. Through the whole course of his reign, all the country's forces were utilised in campaigns against the Afghans, the Turks, and the Russians. During this period, and for several turbulent years after his death in 1747, no carpets of any great value were made, and solely nomads, and craftsmen in small villages continued the tradition of this craft. In the last quarter of the 19th Century and during the reign of the Qajar rulers trade and craftsmanship regained their importance. Carpet making flourished once more with Tabriz merchants exporting carpets to Europe through Istanbul. At the end of the 19th Century some European and American companies even set up businesses in Persia and organised craft production destined for western markets.

Material

Wool In most Persian rugs, the pile is of sheep’s wool. Its characteristics and quality vary from each area to the next, depending on the breed of sheep, climatic conditions, pasturage, and the particular customs relating to when and how the wool is shorn and processed. Different areas of a sheep’s fleece yield different qualities of wool, depending on the ratio between the thicker and stiffer sheep hair and the finer fibers of the wool. Usually, sheep are shorn in spring and fall. The spring shear produces wool of finer quality. The lowest grade of wool used in carpet weaving is “skin” wool, which is removed chemically from dead animal skin. Higher grades of Persian wool are often referred to as kurk, or kork wool, which is gained from the wool growing on the sheep’s neck. Modern production also makes use of imported wool, e.g. Merino wool from New Zealand, because the high demand on carpet wool cannot be entirely met by the local production. Fibers from camels and goats are also used. Goat hair is mainly used for fastening the borders, or selvedges, of nomadic rugs like Baluch rugs, since it is more resistant to abrasion. Camel wool is occasionally used in Persian nomadic rugs. It is often dyed in black, or used in its natural colour. More often, wool said to be camel’s wool turns out to be dyed sheep wool. Cotton Cotton forms the foundation of warps and wefts of the majority of modern rugs. Nomads who cannot afford to buy cotton on the market use wool for warps and wefts, which are also traditionally made of wool in areas where cotton was not a local product. Cotton can be spun more tightly than wool, and tolerates more tension, which makes cotton a superior material for the foundation of a rug. Especially larger carpets are more likely to lie flat on the floor, whereas wool tends to shrink unevenly, and carpets with a woolen foundation may buckle when wet. Chemically treated (mercerised) cotton has been used in rugs as a silk substitute since the late nineteenth century. Silk Silk is an expensive material, and has been used for representative carpets. Its tensile strength has been used in silk warps, but silk also appears in the carpet pile. Silk pile can be used to highlight special elements of the design. High-quality carpets from Kashan, Qum, Nain, and Isfahan have all-silk piles. Silk pile carpets are often exceptionally fine, with a short pile and an elaborate design. Silk pile is less resistant to mechanical stress, thus, all-silk piles are often used as wall hangings, or pillows. Spinning See also: Hand spinning and Spinning (textiles) S-twist and Z-twist yarns The fibers of wool, cotton, and silk are spun either by hand or mechanically by using spinning wheels or industrial spinning machines to produce the yarn. The direction in which the yarn is spun is called twist. Yarns are characterized as S-twist or Z-twist according to the direction of spinning . Two or more spun yarns may be twisted together or plied to form a thicker yarn. Generally, handspun single plies are spun with a Z-twist, and plying is done with an S-twist. Like nearly all Islamic rugs with the exception of Mamluk carpets, nearly all Persian rugs use “Z” (anti-clockwise) spun and “S” (clockwise)-plied wool.

The Persian Carpet is the finest source of handmade oriental rugs in the Triangle area and beyond. At our rug store, you’ll find an extensive inventory of over 6,000 carpets that is unmatched in the Durham area and throughout North Carolina. We carry a variety of styles, sizes, designs, colors and textures — so you’re sure to find the perfect rug or carpet to match your home. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff of rug experts has over 150 combined years of experience in the oriental rug business, and they will walk you through the entire rug-buying process to ensure that you not only find a unique product that fits your decór needs, but that you well-educated about your purchase.

Techniques and structures

The process of weaving a rug The weaving of pile rugs is a time-consuming process which, depending on the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete. To begin making a rug, one needs a foundation consisting of warps and wefts: Warps are strong, thick threads of cotton, wool or silk which run through the length of the rug. Similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other are called wefts. The warps on either side of the rug are normally plied into one or more strings of varying thickness that are overcast to form the selvedge. Weaving normally begins from the bottom of the loom, by passing a number of wefts through the warps to form a base to start from. Knots of dyed wool, cotton or silk threads are then tied in rows around consecutive sets of adjacent warps. As more rows are tied to the foundation, these knots become the pile of the rug. Between each row of knots, one or more shots of weft are passed to keep the knots fixed. The wefts are then beaten down by a comb-like instrument, the comb beater, to further compact and secure the newly-woven row. Depending on the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials and the expertise of the weavers, the knot count of a handmade rug can vary anywhere from 16 to 800 knots per square inch. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in other ways. Looms Looms do not vary greatly in essential details, but they do vary in size and sophistication. The main technical requirement of the loom is to provide the correct tension and the means of dividing the warps into alternate sets of leaves. A shedding device allows the weaver to pass wefts through crossed and uncrossed warps, instead of laboriously threading the weft in and out of the warps. Horizontal looms The simplest form of loom is a horizontal; one that can be staked to the ground or supported by sidepieces on the ground. The necessary tension can be obtained through the use of wedges. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. Rugs produced on horizontal looms are generally fairly small and the weave quality is inferior to those rugs made on a professional standing loom.

Knots Persian carpets are mainly woven with two different knots: The symmetrical Turkish or “Giordes” knot, also used in Turkey, the Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some Turkish and Kurdish areas of Iran, and the asymmetrical Persian, or Senneh knot, also used in India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt. The term “Senneh knot” is somewhat misleading, as rugs are woven with symmetric knots in the town of Senneh. To tie a symmetric knot, the yarn is passed between two adjacent warps, brought back under one, wrapped around both forming a collar, then pulled through the center so that both ends emerge between the warps. The asymmetric knot is tied by wrapping the yarn around only one warp, then the thread is passed behind the adjacent warp so that it divides the two ends of the yarn. The Persian knot may open on the left or the right. The asymmetric knot allows to produce more fluent, often curvilinear designs, while more bold, rectilinear designs may use the symmetric knot. As exemplified by Senneh rugs with their elaborate designs woven with symmetric knots, the quality of the design depends more on the weaver’s skills, than on the type of knot which is used. Another knot frequently used in Persian carpets is the Jufti knot, which is tied around four warps instead of two. A serviceable carpet can be made with jufti knots, and jufti knots are sometimes used in large single-colour areas of a rug, for example in the field, to save on material. However, as carpets woven wholly or partly with the jufti knot need only half the amount of pile yarn compared to traditionally woven carpets, their pile is less resistant to wear, and these rugs do not last as long.

http://www.carpetencyclopedia.com/pages/Styles_and_origin/Persian_carpets-186.html

sketches

swatches

Resources http://www.iranchamber.com/art/articles/brief_history_persian_carpet.php https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/antique/persian/ http://www.persiancarpet.com http://www.carpetencyclopedia.com/pages/Styles_and_origin/Persian_carpets-186.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_carpet https://www.google.co.in/search?q=carpet+making&biw=1680&bih=896&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhvrqDy6HSAhUKtI8KHTxhD5IQ_AUIBygC#tbs=isz:lt%2Cislt:2mp&tbm=isch&q=persian+carpets+motif&imgrc=25B8-BTngpkwFM: (images) http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/12-types-of-oriental-rugs-216831 https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/antique-rugs/carpet-rug-styles-designs/ googleimages.com/persian carpets.com (images)