Citizendia

A Shahsavan kilim with typical geometrical symbols some of them of mythological inspiration such as the crab or scarabeus
A Shahsavan kilim with typical geometrical symbols some of them of mythological inspiration such as the crab or scarabeus

Kilims are flat tapestry-woven carpets or rugs produced from the Balkans to Pakistan. Tapestry is a form of Textile art. It is woven by hand on a vertical Loom. A carpet is any loom-woven felted textile or grass floor covering Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Kilims can be purely decorative or can function as prayer rugs. A prayer mat or prayer rug, (in Arabic, سجادة sajjāda (plural sajājīd) or musallah, in Persian: جانماز

Contents

Name

The name 'kilim' or 'kelim' is Turkish, and comes from the Persian gelim (گلیم) 'to spread roughly'. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Various forms of the word are used in the Balkan languages (e. g. Greek κιλίμι). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly In Kurdish, they are called 'berr'. The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds.

History

Not only pile carpets were produced in ancient times, but also kilims.

"As kilims are much less durable than rugs that have a pile to protect the warp and weft, it is not surprising that few of great age remain. The oldest piece of which we have any knowledge is a fragment obtained by M. A. Stein, the archaeological explorer, from the ruins near Khotan, in Eastern Turkestan, of an ancient settlement, which was buried by sand drifts about the fourth or fifth century anno domini. The weave is almost identical with that of modern kilims, and has about fourteen threads of warp and sixteen threads of weft to the inch. The pattern consists of narrow stripes of blue, green, brownish yellow, and red, containing very small geometric designs. With this one exception, so peculiarly preserved, there are probably very few over a century old. "[1]

Weaving

Kilims are produced by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands of the weave to produce a flat surface with no pile. In Weaving, the warp is the set of lengthwise Yarns through which the Weft is woven WEFT Champaign 901FM is a Community radio station in Champaign Illinois, founded in 1981 and owned by Prairie Air Inc Most kilim weaves are "weft-facing", i. e. , the horizontal weft strands are pulled tightly downward so that they hide the vertical warp strands.

When the end of a color boundary is reached, the weft yarn is wound back from the boundary point. Thus, if the boundary of a field is a straight vertical line, a vertical slit forms between the two different color areas where they meet. For this reason, most kilims can be classed as "slit woven" textiles. The slits are beloved by collectors, as they produce very sharp-etched designs, emphasizing the geometry of the weave. Weaving strategies for avoiding slit formation, such as interlocking, produce a more blurred design image.

The weft strands, which carry the visible design and color, are almost always wool, whereas the hidden warp strands can be either wool or cotton. The warp strands are only visible at the ends, where they emerge as the fringe. This fringe is usually tied in bunches, to ensure against loosening or unraveling of the weave. [Source for this description of the weaving: Davies 2000].

Commercial value

Because kilims are cheaper than pile rugs, beginning carpet collectors often start with them. Despite what many perceive as their secondary (or inferior) status to pile carpets, kilims have become increasingly collectible in themselves over recent years, with quality pieces now commanding high prices.

What some sensed as inferiority was actually a different nature of rugs woven for indigenous use as opposed to rugs woven on a strictly commercial basis. Because kilims were not a major export article, there were no foreign market pressures changing the designs, as happened with pile carpets. Once collectors began to value authentic village weaving, kilims became popular.

Types of Persian Kilims

Gelim of Harsin in Kermanshah, Tarh-e-Aroosak (Doll Design) Type
Gelim of Harsin in Kermanshah, Tarh-e-Aroosak (Doll Design) Type

Sources

See also

References

  1. ^ Hawley, Walter A. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Tapestry is a form of Textile art. It is woven by hand on a vertical Loom. Navajo rugs and blankets are Textiles produced by Navajo people ( Diné) of the Four Corners area of the United States. Oriental Rugs Antique & Modern. (1913). Reprint (1970): Dover Publications, New York, N. Y. , p. 278.

Dictionary

kilim

-noun

  1. A flat tapestry-woven carpet or rug.
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