Persian carpets: types and features of choice

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Exotic and durable Persian carpets have long been considered a sign of luxury and fine taste of their owner. A few decades ago, they could be seen in almost every home, but later they lost their relevance. And today this decorative element is back in fashion.

A bit of history

The first Persian carpets were made several millennia ago. Ancient weavers were not too interested in the beauty of the pattern. The only thing they worried about was the functionality of products designed to protect against wind-blown sand. During frequent moves, the Iranians wrapped their simple belongings in them.

Over time, plain products were replaced by carpets decorated with images of fruits, flowers and birds. Particularly skilled craftsmen managed to write legends, fairy tales, songs and even love messages on their products. After the advent of Islam, everything changed. Gradually, drawings of living creatures disappeared from the carpets. Cloths began to be decorated with symbols traditional for all Persian carpets. They can be considered oneof the most ancient human inventions. Today, as in ancient times, a real Persian carpet is made by hand using the simplest tools. It takes about two years to produce one canvas, decorated with not too complex ornaments.

Persian carpets: main varieties

The names of the paintings come from the areas where they were made. For their production, high-quality sheep or camel wool is used. Today, a handmade Persian carpet is considered a rarity and costs decent money. Depending on the pattern that adorns the carpet, the canvases are divided into several types.

Keledast is a carpet with a hexagon in the central part. The edges of such a canvas are usually painted with floral patterns. The dense and soft wool from which these carpets are made makes them especially warm and comfortable.

Seney - durable canvases made from high quality material. Perhaps these are the most refined and elegant carpets. Persian canvases of juicy shades instantly attract attention. They will become a worthy decoration of any interior.

What to look for when buying

The purchase of such a product can be considered a kind of investment. Since you will have to spend a lot of money on the purchase, you need to know what you should pay attention to when choosing carpets. Persian canvases made with the addition of cotton thread will not shimmer, changing the shade. To determine what is in front of you -really a handmade product, you need to carefully look at its lower part. Machined fabric will be perfectly even and smooth. Whereas the edges of a product created by human hands will be uneven and slightly hairy.

In addition, you should check the country of origin and the quality of the materials used. An equally important characteristic is the density of the web, measured by the number of knots per unit area of the product. Before buying a carpet, observe how it looks at different times of the day for a couple of days. It is also advisable to decide in advance on the place where the canvas will lie. After all, it may suddenly turn out that a sofa or chair will hide the most expressive part of the ornament.

How much would a good carpet cost?

It should be understood that handmade canvases are particularly expensive. Therefore, Persian carpets, the prices of which are constantly growing, can be an excellent investment. In Moscow, the cost of a silk fabric measuring two by three meters reaches 60 thousand dollars. Over the past few years, prices for Iranian products have increased by 200%, and this is not the limit. Woolen carpets are considered especially valuable. Persian canvases are rich in color, so their price depends on the complexity of the pattern. The more complex the ornament, the more expensive the item.

Enemies of Persian carpets

Luxurious and luxurious canvases, emphasizing the delicate taste of their owner, require careful care. In order for the carpet to last as long as possible, you need to know fromwhat it needs to be protected.

So, one of the worst enemies of the Persian linen are sharp heels that can seriously damage the product. The scale of possible damage depends on the shape of the heel and the mass of their owner. Furniture with sharp legs is about the same danger.

The second worst enemy of the Persian carpet is boiling water. Just one spilled cup of tea or a glass of hot water will leave a noticeable stain on the product, which is unlikely to be removed by ordinary dry cleaning. The same applies to red wine, which, if knocked over, will have to send the carpet to the workshop, where it will be thoroughly washed and dried. It should be understood that getting rid of such stains will take quite a long time.