Carpet weaving begins with the knot. The strength, clarity, and design integrity depend on the knotting method. Three primary knotting techniques anchor traditional carpet weaving—Turkish-Gördes, Persian-Sine, and Spanish-Guedinburg—forming the basis for construction across most regions.
Turkish-Gördes Knot
Named after Gördes town in Manisa, this double warp knot anchors yarn around both warps before pulling it through the middle. After the knot lands, two warps pass, then a kirkit tightens it. The method yields a solid, tight weave favored for geometric patterns. Turkish, Caucasian, Azerbaijani, and English carpets lean heavily on this approach. The double warp design ensures durability and structure. Gördes remains the standard in Turkish carpet production due to its strength and capacity to align detailed patterns over time.
Persian-Sine Knot
Hailing from Sine city in western Iran, the Persian knot wraps one yarn end around one warp, letting the other end lie free. A velvety surface emerges, allowing finer designs. The method packs more knots per square unit, yielding thinner, elegant weaves. Persian, Turkestan, Chinese, and Indian carpets favor this knot. After each row, weavers pass two warps. The knot style supports smooth, flowing patterns suited to curvilinear designs and softer compositions.
Spanish-Guedinburg Knot
The method engages only one warp. Wool ties once and pulls upward. Warps in the same row follow a skipped pattern, leaving one empty. After knotting, three warps pass. Speed aids production. Due to its swift, lighter execution, it fits mass-market carpets. Spanish and East Turkestan weavers use this knot, though its reach stays limited. Carpets from this method fall into the commercial category, often aimed at broader distribution.
Hekim Knot and Other Techniques
Hekim knot surfaces in coarser weaves, suited to swift production and basic design work. It ties to lower-quality outputs. Noppen, Sarma, and Dolama align with similar logic. Such methods rarely surface in carpets prized by collectors or built for long-term use.
Understanding Carpet Construction and Evaluation
Carpet evaluation has four core elements: technique, composition, pattern, and color.
Technical Features
Assessments start with yarn type—camel hair, mountain sheep wool from Karaman, merino wool, silk, or cotton. Artisans gauge softness or firmness, check if wool or silk twists singly or doubly, and measure pile height. Knot density, twist type, and knotting method (double or single warp) prove essential. The structure shapes the carpet’s use and longevity.
Pattern and Composition
Pattern composition carries cultural weight. Shapes and layouts mirror the worldview, customs, and storytelling traditions among weavers. Analysts often pinpoint a carpet’s period or origin by studying motif placement and type. Some regions use medallion-centered structures. Others apply linear formats. Each approach ties to local history and visual language.
Color as Regional Signature
Color provides further proof tying to origin. Natural root dyes pinpoint production zones. Some regions use specific herbs or fruits for dye, rare outside their borders. When a carpet displays root dye tones familiar to Erzurum or Gümüşhane, its origin often links to the province triangle.
Madder Dye Tradition
Turkish dye mastery spans centuries. Madder dye draws from herbs, leaves, branches, fruit skins, and roots. Each plant yields a distinct tone:
- Red: Red pine bark
- Yellow: Gorse, sumac, saffron root, euphorbia
- Brown: Oak and walnut leaves
- Green: Wild mint
- Black: Dried sumac
- Blue: Indian flora, processed via boiling stems and leaves
Today, Çınar Rugs upholds this heritage with technical accuracy. Using the Turkish double knot, Çınar weaves wool and silk carpets, preserving Gördes method strength while merging intricate patterns rooted in traditional forms.
Çınar’s Contemporary Use Traditional Techniques
Founded in 1935, Çınar Rugs treads a disciplined path in production. Raw silk from Brazil undergoes Swiss dye processing to secure color integrity—double-knotted Hereke-style carpets from Çınar wave sixty-four knots per square centimeter for density. Knots determine a carpet’s endurance. Materials form its body. Patterns lend it an identity. Color bears its history. The technique turns the raw yarn into heritage. Each Çınar carpet honors tradition. In a world where shortcuts abound, Çınar guards the genuine handwoven artistic craftsmanship demands.
