AZIZ

It is the knotting, or tying of the colored yarn around the threads of the foundation that creates the pile of a carpet.

The most important factor in the creation of a quality rug is its basic construction and the integrity of its principaal materials. Rugs do not need to have a high knot count to be high quality, so you should be wary of someone who tries to sell you a rug solely on the basis of knot count.

Knotting is a very precise skill and it is the major factor in the look of a finished carpet. The pile is formed from various types of knots; the most common of which are symmetrical and asymmetrical.

As these diagrams illustrate, different knotting techniques are employed depending upon the geographical origin and specific use of the carpet.

SYMMETRICAL KNOT The cut ends of the yarn emerge between two warp threads around which it is tied. The knot is used primarily in Turkey, the Caucasus, and in many rural regions in Iran, and by some Turkoman tribes.

ASYMMETRICAL KNOT This is also known as the Persian knot and encircles only one pair of warps. Many asymmetrically knotted rugs display more finely patterned motifs.