We truly enjoy getting new hand-knotted rugs to share and sell. One of the fun parts about the rugs is learning the distict differences that can help in identifying the origin of the rug.  Every rug is different and so are the people that make them.  Here is part of the process we use to verify the origin of a rug.

Authenticating Gharajeh (Karaja)

Gharajeh (Karaja) Persian Rug
Gharajeh (Karaja) Persian rug
Gharajeh (Karaja) Persian rug

    Here we have three separate pictures that show different sections of the rug.  This is helpful when viewing details in one particular area.

Back of Gharajeh rug showing weft color and material.
Gharajeh rug with pile split open exposing the weft and knot type used.

    The picture on the left is showing the back side of the rug. At a closer view you can see the gray weft threads that run horizontally through the foundation of the rug.  This is common among authentic Gharajeh Persian rugs.  The picture on the right is showing the pile folded open, exposing the base of the knot used.  The loop at the bottom of the knot, around two warp threads, verifies that the Turkish or Symmetrical knot was used in this rug.

    Gharajeh rugs are very distinctive in design and easy to recognize. They typically have a pole medallion as shown in the pictures here.  These rugs are produced in Northwestern Iran and have a very geometrical shape in pattern.  

    Common colors for Gharajeh rugs are various shades of red that go together very harmoniously. Typically you will see a red field color but sometimes other colors are used.  Gharajeh rugs will have a blue-grey wefting that runs horizontally through the rug.  The Gharajeh design is very similar to those used in Lamberan, but they typically lack the amount of detail you will find in the field of a Gharajeh rug.

Checklist to Verify (Gharajeh)

Gharajeh (Karaja) Village in Iran

 Design  | Pole Medallions

Pile Material | Wool

Warp Material | Cotton

Weft Material | Wool

Weft Specifics | Grey

KPSI | 

Knot Type | Ghiordes / Turkish

Selvage Type | Flat Azerbaijan

Dyes / Colors | Natural

    Lets check some of the details for the rug in question against our basic description of rugs from the Northern Village of Gharajeh in Iran.

    The Persian rug shown in the top left has a pole medallion design which consists of three seperate medallions in a row down the middle of the field area.

    The pile material is wool. Wool is the most common pile material; followed by silk. The warps that make up the foundation and seen as the fringe is made of cotton. Warps may also be seen from the back of the rugs as evenly distributed specs if the rug is single-wefted; which this rug is. The weft material is wool but is dyed a greyish color.

    When you fold the pile open as seen in the bottom right photograph; you will notice the base of the knot is wrapped around two warps which means the symmetrical knot or Ghiordes / Turkish knot was used. 

    The selvege in this area is most commonly a flat selvege which is seen in Azerbaijan to the North and some Baluchi tribes in Eastern Iran.

View Gharajeh Rugs