Persian Village Rug V-109

RETURNED 1/16/2019

Persian Village Runner, 4 x 12, Heavy, thick pile and woven in the village around Heriz in NW Iran around 1930.

Village rugs, then and now, are woven in the various villages as a source of extra income for the family.  The designs and colors used are traditional to that village or tribe and knotted from memory in the home.  The wool yarn used are often from their own sheep where the men take care of the animals and do the shearing, the women card and spin the wool into yarn.  The men (usually) do the dying and hand it over to the wife and his daughters to make the rug.  Once finished the men take it to a local market on market day to sell to wholesalers/exporters who come from the city to buy.  Village rugs are the real genuine thing, showing the creative spirit and the way rugs were made for time immortal. The very essence of rug making, and no two are ever the same.  Art coming to you from the distance past to be enjoyed in your home as it was long ago, and hopefully for generations to come.

What to look for in Village or primitive weavings.  There are several signs in the rug to indicate it was a village or tribal rug.

1. The change of color of the yarn being used.  This is due to the weaver having to make a new batch of dyed yarn with the consequence of not matching once completed and sheared.  Often she runs out of say blue yarn and will use another color which she has.  All great signs of a non-commercial or city rug.
2. Non-uniformity of design. Since village rugs are not copied from a prepared drawing you can expect to see design elements different from side-to-side and end-to-end.  The weaver often incorporates small farm animals, household items, or other familiar objects to personalize her rug.  Some weavers are more experienced than others and show a more orderly layout in her weaving.
3. Lines not straight. Another beauty and feature of these rugs can be the unevenness of lines.  She doesn’t have the advantage of a drawing to guide her and as a consequence lines may not be straight, center designs not centered or perfectly symmetrical, and other irregularities. All of which define the beauty, charm, and uniqueness of these special antique weavings.  In the past these primitive rugs were looked down upon but have become very cherished and collectable. Many are used as wall hangings.