Saveh Rug

Saveh Rug
Design of Saveh Rug (Rugman)
General information
Name	Saveh Rug
Original name	قالی ساوه
Alternative name(s)	Saveh Carpet (Mosul Rug)
Origin	Iran: Markazi
Category	Village
Technical information
Common designs	Medallion, Geometric
Common colors	Red, Brown, Green
Dyeing method	Natural, Synthetic
Pile material	Wool
Foundation material	Cotton
Knot type	Symmetrical (Turkish)

Saveh rugs originate from Saveh, located in northwestern Iran, just south of Tehran and is home to the Shahsavan tribe. Shahsavan literally means “For those who love the Shah” in Farsi and is a title bestowed upon warriors in the 17th century who were defending the northern border of Persia. The majority of Saveh rugs are small pieces and rug runner styles as a result of being woven by nomadic people that used looms that were compact, making them easy to dismantle and transport when relocation became necessary. The rug runner style weavings were primarily used as saddle bags and animal trappings in addition to providing warm floor coverings in their tents. Saveh rugs have textiles that frequently use the Soumak and Kilim weaves. Soumak is a flatweave also referred to as weft wrapping that will produce a rug runner with a herringbone effect that looks similar to embroidery work. Kilim is a flatweave construction in which the weft yarns form the flat looped face of the rug.

History

Saveh is a city located in west central Iran. The population is primarily made up of the Shahsavan tribe who moved south from northwestern Persia. Saveh rugs are known in the antique market from the late nineteenth century. Older weavings from Saveh are categorized as Hamadan Mosul rugs.
Early Saveh rugs are geometric, with tribal designs in either an allover or medallion style. The allover patterns have tribal design elements such as flower heads, Hook and S motifs, animals, and birds. The medallion style has one, two, or three pendant-shaped medallions mostly in an Open Field background. The borders generally have an alternating large leaf with flower head motif.
Saveh field and border colorations are mostly reds, dark blue, browns, and ivory. In addition, different shades of blue, green, gray, and gold are used for the medallion, design elements, and outlines.
Saveh formats range from small bags to rugs approximately seven feet by four feet six inches. Runners were also woven in variety of lengths. The weavings are made in grade qualities of good to very good. Saveh rugs have a cotton foundation and a wool pile. The Turkish (symmetric) knot is employed.
Early Saveh rugs measuring approximately four feet by seven feet can have a market value up to $5,000. By the last quarter of the twentieth century, some Saveh weavers switched from using their traditional designs to making rugs similar to those of neighboring areas to better satisfy the demand of domestic and foreign export consumers.

See also

Search for Saveh Rug on Wikipedia.

Bibliography

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