Persian Rug Qom 190 x 136 cm Silk Hand-knotted

Ghom Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Ghom Persian rug is made of 100% silk. Silk is used in oriental rugs for its smooth surface, gentle sheen and supple handle. It accepts colour with clarity and supports the rendering of very small forms. For this rug, silk is the stated pile material. No separate warp material is specified.

The rug is hand-knotted. In this technique, the textile structure is built by placing individual knots by hand into a prepared foundation rather than by using an industrial printing or manufacturing process. Its knot density is given as approximately 1 million knots per square metre. At a general technical level, such density allows a highly differentiated drawing because numerous small changes of colour and form can be placed within a compact area.

Making a hand-knotted silk rug requires controlled and consistent work. Knots must be placed evenly, while adjacent colour areas have to be coordinated carefully. After the knotting, the pile and surface are trimmed and finished to create a coherent appearance. In this piece, hand-knotting, a silk pile and the stated high knot density come together as its specified method of construction.

Origin and Tradition

Ghom, also known as Qom, is a city in Iran and one of the recognised centres of Persian rug production. The city and its surrounding area developed a distinctive weaving tradition in which finely made silk rugs have an important place. Persian rugs from Ghom are associated with precise drawing, controlled colour distribution and close attention to detail. This rug is identified as a Persian Ghom rug from Persia.

The weaving tradition of Ghom forms part of Iran’s long history of decorative arts. Patterns, dye practices and knotting skills were passed from one generation to the next. At the same time, workshops could adapt their drawing and colour combinations to different periods and preferences while retaining the hand-made foundation. Ghom is particularly associated with rugs in which fine execution supports the depiction of small, closely arranged ornaments.

A Persian rug is shaped by more than its visible design. Its appearance also depends on preparing the foundation, selecting the yarns, ordering the rows of knots and completing the surface. Silk reflects light differently from more matte natural fibres. As a result, neighbouring colour fields can appear more or less prominent as the viewing angle changes. This is a general optical quality of silk rugs and helps explain the material’s place in Persian textile art.

Ghom’s tradition includes religious and culturally influenced imagery as well as floral and geometrically organised ornament. Workshops may use drawn guides and recurring pattern structures to establish a balanced relationship between central areas, borders and transitions. Individual rugs do not all follow one identical layout. A regional attribution places a rug within the Ghom tradition without implying that every Ghom example has the same composition.

The manufacturing period of this rug is given as 1970 to 1979. It therefore belongs to a period in which Persian workshops continued to use traditional hand-knotting while combining it with contemporary approaches to design and the deliberate use of fine materials. The rug is also described as signed by master knotter Mir Mehdi. The signature is identified as “Tapeto”. This individual marking distinguishes the piece from an unsigned production without making any additional claim about its provenance.

Design and Pattern

The design of this Ghom rug includes linear elements, described in the source as “inline patterns”, together with floral designs. It also uses a multicoloured palette with vivid colours. These details define the visible ornamental language of the rug: lines give the composition structure, while floral elements bring organic contours and smaller details into the field.

Floral ornament is one of the established design resources of Persian rugs. Flowers, leaves, vines and stylised plant forms may appear individually, in sequences or within larger motifs. In a finely knotted silk work, these forms can be built up through many small colour changes and carefully controlled contours. The result does not have to be botanically literal. Persian ornament often relies on a stylised vocabulary in which repetition, rhythm and order are central.

Linear patterns can serve several functions within a rug. They may define boundaries, connect separate ornaments or guide the eye through the composition. In a finely detailed design, lines also provide orientation and create transitions between groups of motifs. Combined with floral forms, they produce an interplay between directional structure and organic movement. Both types of design element are expressly identified for this rug.

The multicoloured execution and vivid colours affect how the pattern is read from different distances. Stronger colour fields can bring individual ornaments forward, while finer tonal relationships create links between adjacent areas. Silk adds its own reflective quality: depending on the light, colours may appear lighter or deeper without the underlying palette changing. This general property of silk complements the colour work found in Persian Ghom rug design.

Ghom patterns are often organised so that individual details remain legible within a coherent overall order. Even spacing, controlled outlines and coordinated colour placement are important to this approach. The pattern of this rug can therefore be understood both as detailed handwork and as a unified multicoloured composition. Its floral and linear elements are not merely random decoration; they belong to an established Persian way of dividing a surface and relating ornaments to one another.

Persian rug ornament can also carry cultural or symbolic associations. Plant forms are often connected in textile traditions with growth, order and the natural world. Such general associations should not be presented as a specific interpretation of this rug, because no individual symbolic reading is stated. The documented design features are its linear patterns, floral designs, vivid colours and multicoloured appearance.

Special Features

One notable technical feature is the stated density of approximately 1 million knots per square metre. Knot density is used to describe the fineness of a hand-knotted textile and the amount of individual work contained in its surface. A high density can support detailed drawing, although material, workmanship and pattern must still be considered together rather than reduced to one technical figure.

The rug is described as like new and was used only as a wall hanging. It was therefore not used as a regularly walked-on floor covering. Its manufacturing period is given as 1970 to 1979. Further individual features are the “Tapeto” signature and the attribution to master knotter Mir Mehdi.

Silk requires care appropriate to the fibre. Direct sunlight should be avoided, and dirt should not be treated with unsuitable products. A professional rug-cleaning service is recommended for more substantial soiling. Gentle regular vacuuming and prompt removal of dirt are the care measures specified in the source text.

FAQ

How should I care for a Persian Ghom silk rug?

The rug should be vacuumed gently on a regular basis so that dirt does not remain in the surface. Spilled material or other soiling should be removed as soon as possible. Direct sunlight should be avoided, since light can affect the appearance of sensitive materials. For heavier soiling, a professional rug-cleaning service is recommended. Silk should not be treated with aggressive household cleaners or stiff brushes.

Which room is suitable for this Ghom rug?

The rug can be used in a living room or bedroom. Since it has previously been used as a wall hanging, it is also suitable as a decorative textile displayed on a wall. Its multicoloured floral design can likewise serve as a textile accent in an office. The chosen location should protect the silk from direct sun and from heavy mechanical wear.

Why are Persian Ghom silk rugs distinctive?

Ghom silk rugs combine a fine material with the tradition of Persian hand-knotting. Silk provides a smooth, lustrous surface and supports precise reproduction of small motifs. In this particular piece, the stated density of approximately 1 million knots per square metre is an additional technical characteristic. Hand craftsmanship, floral and linear ornament, multicoloured design, the “Tapeto” signature and the attribution to Mir Mehdi are the specific features recorded for this rug.