Posted on May 20, 2020 by Behnam Rugs

Types of Oriental Rug Knots

The detail and value of a Persian or Oriental rug lies in the quality of its knots. The more knots per square inch, the more vivid and intricate the rug’s design.

In addition, the more KPSI (knots per square inch) a rug has, the more expensive it will be. This is expected because creating these knots by hand – and so close together – is an complex and difficult process, one that takes craftsmen years to learn and perform expertly. Persian and Oriental rugs can take years to make because of this.

There are basically two different types of knots used to make an Oriental pile rug (Persian rugs also are considered to be Oriental rugs): the “Persian” and the “Turkish.”

Persian knots are known as Senneh and Turkish knots are known as Ghiordes. They often are tied around two (a pair of) warp strings. The warp of a rug runs lengthwise and is held stationary on the frame. The weft of a rug is woven oven and under the warp strings.

Let’s discuss these knot types.

The Senneh knots are asymmetrical and may have their opening on either the right or left side of the warp strings. The Ghiordes knot is symmetric, with the ends of the knots located between the two warp strings.

Some rugs are knotted using Jufti knots. These are “false” knots and they are tied around four warps instead of two. They can be either the Turkish or Persian style.

Jufti knots use half of the material and correspondingly take only half as much time to make (but the knot may last only half as long). Some rugs, such as Bokharas, may have Jufti knots mixed in with the Persian (Senneh) knots.

While the Persian or Senneh knot is used in most regions, some rug makers in Turkey, Armenia, Azerbajan, and some parts of northwestern Iran use the Turkish or Ghirodes knot.

As for comparing the quality of a Senneh knot versus a Ghirodes knot? There is no way. But being able to identify the different type of knot will help you know where the rug was made.

Are you wondering what type of knot your Persian/Oriental rug was made with? Bring it to the rug experts at Behnam Rugs. We’d love to take a look “under the rug” to ascertain the region of its origin. Contact us at 972-733-0400.

Stay tuned for upcoming events where we educate rug lovers on the ins and outs of the rug industry. They are a great way to become more knowledgeable of the world of fine rugs.

Read this blog to find out what questions you should ask your Persian rug cleaner.