Carpet glossary: U-Z
Usak carpets, a different name for Ushak carpets.
Ushak carpets, Usak carpets, handknotted carpets from the city of Ushak in western Turkey. Between 16th -19th century many famous styles of carpets were knotted here, such as the Bird-Uhsak carpets, Stern-Ushak carpets, Lotto carpets together with a more Persian inspired medallion carpet. The carpets are entirely knotted in wool, with red as the dominating colour. A deterioration of the quality began around 1850 and todays productions are considered to be of less interest.
Vagire, handknotted smaller carpet, which is often used as a kind of sample for the carpet. Either a smaller piece of the carpet is reproduced or some of the large carpets existing patterns and colours are shown. The area around Bijar in northwestern Iran is a large place for manufacturing these samples.
Vase carpets, handknotted carpets from the 17th and 18th century, manufactured in the city of Kerman in southeastern Iran. Since the patterns lack a centered motif, it should be viewed from one direction and sometimes vases can be found in the rich variety of patterns. These carpets are woven using a special technique with a double warp and three weft threads.
Veramin carpets, handknotted carpets manufactured in and around the city of Veramin in northern Iran. These workshop carpets often have a mina khani-pattern, a repetitive pattern with flowers arranged four by four in an all-over patterned central field, dominated by red and blue. The manufacturing in the surroundings of this city is varied, with kelims being manufactured for example.
Verné carpets, a different name for Verni carpets.
Verni carpets, Verné carpets, a kind of flat woven carpets made in a soumak-like technique. The carpets are usually manufactured in southern and southeast of Caucasia, but also in Turkey and Turkmenistan. They are entirely made of wool, with red as the dominating colour and often with a squared pattern, sometimes with stylized bird motifs.
Village carpets, a generic term for carpets made by the village people in the Orient.
Read more about village carpets here!
Wall-to-wall carpet, a carpet that covers the whole floor. Very popular in the 70's and very common in American homes today. It is extremly rare with handknotted wall-to-wall carpets but occasionally few have occured.
Warangal carpets, handknotted carpets from the village of Warangal, India.
Warp, refers to the thread alongside the woven fabric that is attached to the loom. The length of the thread decides partly which kind of loom is to be used and the conditions of the warp one may have.
Weft, is the thread that is put between each row of knots in a carpet. When manufacturing handknotted carpets this thread often consists of cotton and wool, but other materials occur.
Wiener Jagdteppich, hand knotted carpet, manufactured in the 16th century in the city of Keshan in central Iran. The carpet is entirely made of silk and with an extremly high knot density. It was donated by a Persian shah to Peter I , who then gave it to Leopold I, prince of Anhalt-Dessau. The carpet is thought to be the foremost of the court workshop carpets.
Wilton carpets, machine manufactured pile carpets with patterns that resembles Persian ones. The name originates from the city of Wilton in Wiltshire, England which by the 16th century was manufacturing handmade carpets. Since the middle of the 19th century all carpets made were machine manufactured and occured in almost every size.
Wool, hair from sheep, or from other animals. The roughest wool is used for manufacturing carpets.
Xinjiang carpets, Sinkiang carpets, hand knotted carpets from the area of Xinjiang in northwestern China.
Yagcibedir carpets, hand knotted carpets from the area around the city of Sindirgi in western Turkey. The carpets are entirely made of wool with two weft threads between the rows of knots. The patterns are geometrical, and the colours mainly red and blue, are dull or sometimes gloomy. The most common sizes are zaronim and runners.
Yahyali carpets, hand knotted carpets from the city of Yahyalù in central Turkey. The carpets are made of wool, have geometric patterns and often medallions. Red and blue together with a mustard yellow colour are the most common colours.
Yalameh carpets, hand knotted carpets from the Yalameh tribe in the province of Fars. The carpets are well-known for their distinctive richness of patterns and powerful deep colours.
Yaprak pattern, characterized by large, natural drawn motifs with leafs creating rhombs and medallions. Named after the city Yapraklar in Turkey.
Yarkand carpets, (after the city Yarkant, China), hand knotted carpets from the area of Xinjiang in northwestern China.
Yastik, a size denomination for Oriental carpets, mostly Turkish ones, whose sizes are approximately 90× 45 cm. Sometimes the denomination are wrongfully used on different types of smaller carpets from different parts of Turkey.
Yazd carpets, Yesd carpets, hand knotted carpets from the city of Yazd in central Iran. The carpets have great similarities with the Kerman carpets. These carpets have a very detailed pattern and a high pile and in the changing colour range a characteristic purple/red colour is visible. The warp and weft is made of cotton.
Yomut carpet, Jomut, Yomud carpets , hand knotted carpets are manufactured by the Turkoman Yomut tribe, who live east of the Caspian Sea and in northeastern Iran. Typical colours for these carpets are a redbrown nuance and yellow are often used. Common products are utility goods such as bags, tent-ropes, camel ornamentes etc.
Yürük carpets, hand knotted carpets, entirely made of wool, manufactured by the Yürük tribe in eastern Turkey. They have long, often naturally coloured pile of high quality and simple geometric patterns are characteristic. Dominating colours in the carpets are indigo-blue, madder red and also green, brown and curry-yellow.
Zaghe carpets, hand knotted carpets of a strong wool-type from the district of Kurdistan.
Zanjan carpets, Zendjan, Zenjan carpets , hand knotted carpets from the area around the city of Zanjan in northwestern Iran. These carpets are knotted on a cotton-warp with Hamadan technique and syntethic colours dominate. The most common size are Dozar, among the patterns medallions dominate. Older carpets (from before World War II) often have a warp made of wool and double wefts.
Zarand carpets, hand knotted carpets from the district of Iraq-Ajemi.
Zaronim, a size denomination on Oriental carpets. Sizes from 150x100 cm to 106 x 110 cm. The measurements can vary a little between different carpet knotting areas.
Zarquart, a size denomination on Oriental carpets. Size approximately 60 × 125 cm.
Zendjan carpets, a different name for Zanjan carpets.
Ziegler carpets, hand knotted carpets manufactured between 1883-1930 in the district of Arak in western Iran. The carpets that were manufactured for the Brittish company Ziegler & Co, hade Persian patterns (existing styles were often copied), pastel colours and large formats. Warp and weft were made of cotton.
Read more about Ziegler carpets here!
Zil-e-sultan pattern, (Persian "the shadow of the Sultan" ), an occuring all-over pattern on Oriental carpets, consisting of vases with flower bouquets surrounded by birds. The ground colour is often light. The pattern occurs on Ghom carpets for example.