Kilims are a type of rug that is flatwoven. They are not the typical plushy carpets one usually imagines when talking about Persian Rugs, as they lack the knotted pile that those possess. The designs of kilims are achieved by the intricate weaving of dyed wefts and warps.
Borrowed from Turkish, the term kilim is the most commonly used to label such floorcoverings. Other names may be used, including the following:
Palas (Caucasus)
Gelim (Iran)
Kylym (Ukraine)
Bsath (Syria and Lebanon)
Pileless and flatwoven floorcoverings are not unique to parts of Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia – they can be find all over the world such as India, where they are known as dhurries, and North America, where they are crafted by the Navajo in the United States. Materials and technique may be coarse and monotone, or extremely sophisticated with complex geometric designs unique to a single tribe.
However, when speaking about kilims, the geographic area is limited to the Balkans, Central Asia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Caucasus, as well as China and Ukraine.
Traditionally, kilims were not only used to cover floors, benches and beds; they were also used as a sturdy material to wrap or pack things, as cushions, and as a symbol of wealth. They were, and still are, a manifestation of an individual tribe’s cultural and aesthetic tastes – a tangible representation of their identity.
The photo shows an example of a Navajo rug.
They are an expressive art form that is both functional and beautiful. For these reasons, kilims have become quite popular in the contemporary North American market, despite being less durable then their plushy counterparts. (Unfortunately, commercially manufactured kilims lack these qualities, since they tend to be designed following current popular tastes.)
Kilims come in a range of sizes. They can be small or large. Typical sizes range from 4′7″ x 11′ to 5′7″ x 16′. Smaller sizes, generally used as prayer rugs, can be as small as 1′4″ x 2′6″.
If you are interested in flatwoven and pileless floorcoverings, please contact us to explore our beautiful selection of handmade kilims.
