Afghan Modern Vegetable Dye

Afghan Modern Vegetable DyeThe kilim rug is steeped in tradition. Considered to resemble the first carpets in history that date back several hundred years before Christ, the roots of the kilim trace back to the nomadic peoples of the Middle East, where these rugs were used as blankets, seat mats, saddle blankets, wall decoration and carpets. Hand woven, the 'flatweave' kilim is almost identical top and bottom, making both sides of the carpet usable. Warp and weft weaving

Made with handspun Ghazni wool

Recognizable by their diverse colour and style

knots are tightly packed and dense on a cotton warp

Considered an essential skill

oranges and creamy ivory colours together into small motifs

White borders delineate central images and the perimeter is rich in traditional geometric patterns

carpets made in Nepal feature modern western patterns in pastel colours

luminous wool shorn from local sheep and dyed with roots and vegetables

although the asymmetrical Persian knot is used in some cities and – unique to the Sarab – both knots can be found within the same carpet

although some weavers use a silk or silk and wool weft with a Kurd wool/silk blend for the short pile

influenced by the Persian varieties

decorative rather than structural