Kordestan Oriental Rug 147×116 cm Wool Hand-woven

Kordestan Oriental Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Zusani Kelim from Kordestan is hand-woven. A Kelim is formed by interlacing weft and warp rather than by inserting rows of knots and cutting a pile. The result is a flat textile surface in which the structure of the weave remains visible. This rug is specifically described as having no pile, so its appearance comes directly from the woven ground and the arrangement of its threads.

The listed materials are hand-spun wool and cotton. Hand-spun wool is produced by drawing out and twisting fibres by hand, which can leave the yarn with a subtly individual character. Cotton is also a traditional material in woven rug construction. Both materials are stated for this Kelim, while their precise division between warp and weft is not specified. No further fibre composition is added here.

The knot density is described as fine. In the case of a hand-woven Kelim, this wording is an item classification rather than a numerical knot count of the kind used for a pile rug. The important technical distinction is that the design is created on the loom through the arrangement and packing of the woven threads. Hand weaving can produce small variations in tension, joins and line movement, all of which belong to the character of a manually made textile.

The construction also explains why the rug has no pile height. There are no raised, cut yarn ends to form a soft pile surface. Instead, the flat weave presents the colour fields and motifs at the same level as the surrounding fabric. In a Kelim, the quality of the finished appearance depends on an even ground, controlled weft placement and clear transitions between woven areas.

Origin and Tradition

This Kelim comes from Kordestan and is classified as an Oriental rug. Kordestan is associated with a longstanding tradition of woven textiles in which flat-woven rugs exist alongside knotted carpets and other forms of domestic weaving. Kelims have served practical purposes while also carrying visual systems of symbols, repeated shapes and simplified figures. Their making requires knowledge of loom preparation, yarn handling and the controlled placement of coloured wefts.

In a Kelim, the image is built while the textile is being woven. The weaver places the weft in the areas required by the design and beats it into position so that the surface remains compact. Unlike a knotted rug, the completed piece does not receive a separately cut pile. This gives the Kelim its flat profile and makes the rhythm of the weave an integral part of its appearance. Colour changes, edges and joins are therefore not secondary details; they are part of the construction itself.

Regional Kelim traditions do not follow one universal pattern language. Depending on the weaving community and the intended use, a flat-woven textile may contain geometric borders, stylised animals, plants, landscape references or abstract signs. Forms are often reduced so that they remain clear within the limitations of a woven surface. The stated origin of this rug is Kordestan. No particular village, workshop or individual weaver is identified.

The word Zusani is part of the designation used for this Kelim. It does not replace Kordestan as the stated origin. The relevant terms are therefore Kelim, Zusani, Kordestan and Oriental rug: the first describes the woven construction, the second belongs to the product name, the third identifies the named region, and the fourth places the rug within a broad geographic category.

Flat-woven rugs have traditionally been used in occupied rooms and other areas where a practical textile surface is needed. Their construction can make them suitable for direct floor use, while their pattern gives them a visual role within a room. Because the design is formed from the weave itself rather than painted or printed onto a finished surface, the technical process and the decoration remain closely connected. This relationship between use and image is central to the history of Kelims.

The history of the Kelim is closely tied to the transmission of weaving knowledge. This includes preparing the loom, selecting and spinning yarns, planning the division of the field and translating a design into a sequence of weft passages. Such skills develop within weaving traditions over time. Regional distinctions may appear in the treatment of borders, the simplification of figures and the relationship between coloured areas, while the basic flat-weaving principle remains consistent.

Design and Pattern

The pattern of this Kelim is listed as animal landscape. The description brings together animal imagery and a landscape setting or landscape reference. In traditional woven design, such subjects are rarely intended as exact naturalistic scenes. Bodies, movement, ground, paths, trees or distant forms may be reduced to clear signs and arranged within a balanced textile composition. The result is an image that can be read both as a subject and as an organisation of shapes.

The style is described as primitive and modern. Here, primitive refers to a deliberately simplified and elemental visual language, not to poor workmanship. Figures may be schematic, proportions may be adjusted for the composition, and a landscape may be suggested with only a few planes or lines. The modern classification reflects how this reduced vocabulary is read in a contemporary setting. Both style descriptions are part of the product information.

Animals and landscapes are enduring subjects in textile art because they can be communicated through recognisable outlines without requiring fine pictorial detail. An animal may appear as an isolated figure, as a repeated sign or as one element within a larger arrangement. Landscape references may be created through stacked areas, diagonal movement, a sequence of forms or a simple division between ground and space. The woven medium encourages this concise approach.

The hand-woven surface affects the way the pattern is seen. Colour areas are made from individual weft passages and woven sections rather than from a smooth painted application. At a change of colour, the edge follows the logic of the weave, and the line may acquire a slight textile rhythm. The motifs are therefore not separate from the fabric. They emerge through the interaction of warp, weft and the sequence in which the design is built.

An animal-landscape Kelim can be viewed on two levels. The animals and landscape elements provide the subject, while repeated lines, blocks and transitions provide the structure. The primitive and modern description indicates that the design is not based on a detailed naturalistic rendering. Its visual language is sign-like and reduced, allowing the woven technique to remain visible and giving the composition a clear relationship between figurative reference and geometric order.

Flat weaving can build motifs from distinct colour steps and clearly bounded forms. This creates an exchange between figure and ground in which the surrounding area may be as important as the sign itself. Borders and inner fields traditionally help organise a composition. Although the precise arrangement of this Kelim is not described in further detail, the relationship between surface, line and motif is part of the technical background of Kelim design.

Special Features

The rug is listed as new with a label. It is also described as suitable for underfloor heating. Its construction is flat-woven and without pile, which distinguishes it from a rug with a raised or cut surface. These statements cover the specified condition, intended compatibility and technical structure. No claim about cleaning, restoration, washing or age is added because none of those details is given for this piece.

The absence of pile means that the woven surface remains directly exposed. General care for a flat-woven rug normally includes regular gentle vacuuming and attention to the care instructions supplied for the textile. A specific cleaning process for this Kelim is not stated, so no particular treatment is prescribed here. The hand-woven structure should be handled as a textile whose pattern and construction are closely connected.

The rug’s suitability for underfloor heating is listed as a special feature. When laying a flat-woven textile, general care should be taken to keep the underlying surface even and the rug safely positioned. Such general guidance does not replace individual care instructions. No additional technical properties are added for this Kelim.

FAQ

What is a Kelim?

A Kelim is a flat-woven rug without pile. Its pattern is created on the loom by interlacing warp and weft rather than by tying knots and cutting a pile. This Kelim is hand-woven and made from hand-spun wool and cotton. The term Kelim therefore identifies its method of construction and flat surface, not a knotted pile structure.

Where does this Kelim come from?

This Kelim comes from Kordestan and is classified as an Oriental rug. Kordestan has a well-established tradition of oriental textile weaving. The description names the region but does not identify a particular village, workshop or maker. Zusani is part of the rug’s designation and should not be read as an additional origin statement.

Can this Kelim be used over underfloor heating?

Yes. The rug is specifically listed as suitable for underfloor heating. It is also hand-woven and has no pile. For everyday use, general guidance for laying and caring for flat-woven textiles should be followed, including keeping the surface flat and observing any care instructions provided. Its condition is stated as new with a label.