Glossary of Rug Terms #1

Every month or so, we will post a few interesting rug-related terms and their definitions here for your knowledge and enjoyment. Always educate yourself on a topic before you make a purchase!

Drop Repeat: An endless vertical pattern on a rug.

Palesk: A flat-woven rug made from rope-like yarn of goat hair. These rugs are woven in Chitral, an area in northwest Pakistan. Geometric designs are generally used.

Plug: A piece from another rug sewn or woven into a hole in a rug as a repair.

Tassels: Bundles of yarn in the form of brushes. Tassels are common in tribal weavings. They are used on animal trappings, bags, and the edges of rugs.

Yazma (turkish): Hand-printed or hand-painted cloth; bed cover.

Beater: A weighted wood or metal comb used to beat wefts down against each row of knowts as a carpet is woven on the loom.

Chatma: Originally, an Ottoman fabric in which the motif was brocaded in silver-wrapped thread, rendered in raised velvet. Generally, a technically superior and dense form of velvet. Cushion covers were made from this fabric. Some yastik designs may derive from these cushion covers.

Coal Mine Mesa: A Navajo weaving area south of Tuba City in Arizona. Beginning in 1970, weavers of this area used eccentric weft to outline designs. They also produce twill weaves and saddle bags using eccentric weft for design outlining.

Compartment Rug: A term sometimes used as a synomyn for chessboard rugs. Commonly applied to rugs of Persia and, perhaps India, that have a rug design consisting of repeating compartments in the field. Usually, the compartments are rectangular or interlocking ogival shapes and are occupied by some floral motif. These may also be called “cartouche” carpets.

Deer: Images of deer are used in rugs of India, Persia, and China. In Chinese rugs, the image of a deer may suggest longevity or money.