ABR
(Persian, literally: 'cloud' or 'cloud-like'). Fabric patterned by binding the warp threads to resist the dye prior to weaving, repeated with several colours. AIso known by the Indonesian term 'ikat'. | |  |
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| ABRASH |
| Change or variation in the color of a rug due to differences in the wool or dye bath. The effect of abrash is subtle shading differences. In older or antique rugs, abrash occurs naturally. In new rugs, both machine made and handmade, abrash is carefully created by changing the color of the yarns to mimic a vintage look. |
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| ADIOL |
| Bed-cover padded with cotton and quilted, used throughout Central Asia. |
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ADRAS
Type of handmade semi-silk ikat fabric. | |  |
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| AFGHANISTAN |
| A land locked Central Asian country bordering Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. A tribal society with a traditionally weak central government. |
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| AFSHAR |
| A Turkic speaking nomadic and partly settled tribal group in Southern Persia with summer pastures in the mountains south and west of Kerman; they are weavers of excellent pile and kilim rugs. |
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| AGRA |
| Indian antique decorative carpets. |
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| AHAR |
| Heriz style carpets NW Iran Azerbaijan. |
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| AHURA MAZDA |
| Pre-Islamic god. Zoroaster fire temples Yazd. |
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| AI KOCHET |
| ( Kirghiz ) Moon motif. |
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| AIMAQ |
| West Afghan group of tribes / clans, a Turkic group, live in yurts. |
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| AINA GUL |
| ( Turkmen ), literal translation - mirror with horns, pattern seen in some small Turkmen weaving such as chuvals or mafrash. |
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| AK CHUVAL |
| ( Turkmen ), literal translation - white chuval, a type of chuval with horizontal bands of pattern in pile and flat woven bands of plain weave, the elems are usually woven in pile with a white background colour, hence the term " ak chvual ". |
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AK SU
A term sometimes used to describe some field patterns in Turkmen rugs. | |  |
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| AKKOYONLU |
| " People of the white sheep " historical central Asian Turks. |
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| AKSTAFA |
| Caucasian rug type distinctive bird with tailcomb motif. |
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| ALA KIYIZ |
| ( Kyrgyz ) A type of felt rug. |
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| ALACHA |
| Fine cotton striped fabric. |
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| ALOIZI |
| Variety of silkworm. |
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| ANATOLIA |
| Asian Turkey. |
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| ANDKHOY |
| Afghan turkoman rug type. |
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| ANILINE DYE |
| A synthetic dye from coal tar. In the early 1900's it was banned in Persia. This synthetic dye often turns white or gray, rather than simply fading, the reason why it was banned in Persia and its use discontinued elsewhere at nearly the same time. |
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APPLIQUE
Needlework technique where pieces of fabric are sawn on to the ground material to make a design. | |  |
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| ARAB |
| The name given to various unrelated sub-tribes in south and east Iran as well as Afghanistan and Central Asia, descendents of ancient Arab invaders who brought Islam to Central Asia and beyond. |
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| ARABATCHIE, ARABATCHI |
| A tribe of Turkmen, weavings are distinguished by a knot that is open left and often there is cotton in the wefting. |
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| ARABESQUE |
| Group of particular curvilinear tendril designs, probably originated in Islamic spain. |
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| ARABI GILAM |
| ( Kyrgyz ) A flat woven rug made by Arab tribes or in their style. |
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| ARDEBIL |
| Good commercial weaving centre in Azerbaijan. |
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| AREA RUG |
| Generic term used in the West for smaller rugs that in tribal cultures are traditionally used as seating surfaces. |
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| ARMENIA |
| Ancient home of the Armenians. Adjancent to the Caucasus and Turkey. |
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| ART SILK |
| Artificial silk, normally made with mercerized cotton. |
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| ASHKABAD, ASHGABAT |
| Turkmenistan city, capital of Turkmenistan, traditional home of the Tekke Turkmen tribe. |
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ASMALYK
Twin flank trappings for camel, made of felt or woven. | |  |
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| ASSADABAD |
| Hamadan area herati designed rugs with nicely small central medallion. |
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| ATLAS |
| ( Arabic ) Satin-weave fabric of silk warp and weft. |
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| AUBUSSON |
| French design normally with a medallion and pastel colors. |
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| AYATLYK |
| ( Turkmen ) Funerary rug. |
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| AZERBAIJAN |
| Straddling Iran and the Caucasus, this Turkish-speaking province could be the most important rug weaving area in history. |
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