Ardebil Rug

Ardebil Rug
Design of Ardebil Rug (Rugman)
General information
Name	Ardebil Rug
Original name	قالی اردبیل
Alternative name(s)	Ardebil Carpet
Origin	Iran: Ardebil
Category	Village, City
Technical information
Common designs	Medallion, Herati, Geometric
Common colors	Turquoise, White, Ceram, Navy Blue, Green
Dyeing method	Natural, Synthetic
Foundation material	Wool, Silk
Weaving Technique	Cotton
Knot type	Symmetrical (Turkish), Asymmetrical (Persian)

Ardebil rugs originate from Ardabil, located in the province of Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran, 639 kilometers from Tehran. Ardebil has a long and illustrious history of Persian carpet weaving. The reign of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries represented the peak of Persian carpet making in the region. The name Ardebil comes from the Avesta (The sacred book of Zoroastrians) with the word Artavil literally meaning a tall holy place. The weavers in Ardebil ply their craft using Persian knots. One of the most famous carpets in existence today is a Persian carpet from Ardebil. This magnificent masterpiece measuring 34' x 17' is hanging on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England.

History

Ardebil, also spelled Ardabil, is a city in what had been the East Azerbaijan Province but is today the Ardebil Province of northwestern Iran, and is the capital of that province. Ardebil is an ancient city with historic architecture. The Ardebil Carpets, also known as the "Sheikh Safi" carpets, were purchased from this city after originally being woven for its Sheikh Safi al-Din Mosque. The carpets are famous, and are preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.
Ardebil rugs are known in the market from the first quarter of the twentieth century. The rugs and carpets have a cotton foundation and a wool pile. The Turkish (symmetric) knot is always used. These carpets were similar to Tabriz designs but in a lower grade quality. The designs are floral, with palmettes, leaves, and vines, in either a medallion or allover pattern. Most of the carpets seen in the market are not woven to perfection and often have broken design elements and crooked shapes. They were mainly produced in limited quantity in small room sizes for domestic use. Traditional colors were used on the field and borders.
After World War II a carpet boom occurred in the Western markets, and Ardebil weavers changed their weaving styles and designs to attract new consumers. The rugs were changed to a wool foundation and a wool pile with geometric Caucasian designs. Most formats range from mats to rugs approximately ten feet by six feet, following Caucasian practices. No room-size carpets were made during this period. Various background colorations were used and were suitable for the Western markets. The production in rug weaving grew dramatically, and most households kept a loom for weaving. During the 197os some weavers switched to a cotton foundation in order to make room sizes. Ardebil carpets were sold in large quantities in the Tehran and Ardebil bazaars for export.
In the late twentieth century some experienced weavers began making rugs and carpets with a silk foundation and a silk pile by commission for Ardebil and Tehran dealers. These weavings were high in grade quality and featured important, traditional designs. The carpet weaving industry continues to provide a better lifestyle and income for the people in the Ardebil Province.

See also

Search for Ardebil Rug on Wikipedia.

Bibliography

1. Abraham Levi Moheban. 2015. The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets: Twenty-Five Centuries of Weaving. NewYork: Princeton Architectural Press.