A sub-group of Circassians inhabited in the area of the northwestern Caucasus
ABR (Persian for Cloud) Fabric dyed in central asia using the ikat technique
ABRASH
Change or variation in the color of a rug due to differences in the wool or dye bath. The effect of abrash is subtle shading differences. In older or antique rugs, abrash occurs naturally. In new rugs, both machine made and handmade, abrash is carefully created by changing the color of the yarns to mimic a vintage look.
ADRAS type of handmade semi-silk ikat fabric.
ADRASKAND
A town of Western Afghanistan.
AFGHANISTAN
A land locked Central Asian country bordering Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. A tribal society with a traditionally weak central government.
AFSHAR
A Turkic speaking nomadic and partly settled tribal group in Southern Persia with summer pastures in the mountains south and west of Kerman; they are weavers of excellent pile and kilim rugs
AGRA
Indian antique decorative carpets
AHAR
Heriz style carpets NW Iran Azerbaijan
AHURA MAZDA
Pre-Islamic god. Zoroaster fire temples Yazd
AIMAQ
West Afghan group of tribes/clans, a Turkic group, live in yurts.
AINA GUL
(Turkmen), literal translation - mirror with horns, pattern seen in some small Turkmen weaving such as chuvals or mafrash.
AK CHUVAL
(Turkmen), literal translation - white chuval, a type of chuval with horizontal bands of pattern in pile and flat woven bands of plain weave, the elems are usually woven in pile with a white background colour, hence the term "ak chvual."
AK SU A term sometimes used to describe some field patterns in Turkmen rugs.
AKKOYONLU
"People of the white sheep" historical central Asian Turks.
AKSTAFA
Caucasian rug type distinctive bird with tailcomb motif.
ALA CHUVAL
Anatolian storage bags.
ALA KIYIZ
(Kyrgyz) A type of felt rug.
ANATOLIA
Asian Turkey.
ANDKHOY
Afghan turkoman rug type.
ANILINE DYE
A synthetic dye from coal tar. In the early 1900's it was banned in Persia. This synthetic dye often turns white or gray, rather than simply fading, the reason why it was banned in Persia and its use discontinued elsewhere at nearly the same time.
APPLIQUE Needlework technique where pieces of fabric are sawn on to the ground material to make a design
ARAB
The name given to various unrelated sub-tribes in south and east Iran as well as Afghanistan and Central Asia, descendents of ancient Arab invaders who brought Islam to Central Asia and beyond.
ARABATCHIE, ARABATCHI A tribe of Turkmen, weavings are distinguished by a knot that is open left and often there is cotton in the wefting.
ARABESQUE
Group of particular curvilinear tendril designs. probably originated in Islamic spain.
ARABI GILAM
(Kyrgyz)a flat woven rug made by Arab tribes or in their style
ARDEBIL
Good commercial weaving centre in azerbaijan
AREA RUG
Generic term used in the West for smaller rugs that in tribal cultures are traditionally used as seating surfaces
ARMENIA
Ancient home of the Armenians. Adjancent to the Caucasus and Turkey
ART NOUVEAU
A design movement of the last quarter of the 19th c.
ART SILK
Artificial silk, normally made with mercerized cotton
ASHKABAD, ASHGABAT
Turkmenistan city, capital of Turkmenistan, traditional home of the Tekke Turkmen tribe.
ASMALYK Twin flank trappings for camel, made of felt or woven.
ASSADABAD
Hamadan Area herati designed rugs with nicely small central medallion.
AUBUSSON
French design normally with a medallion and pastel colors
AVAR
An ethnic group of Daghestan in the Caucasus.
AY GUL
A circular meddalion bearing rosettes or cloudbands in East Turkestan rugs.
AZERBAIJAN
Straddling Iran and the Caucasus, this Turkish-speaking province could be the most important rug weaving area in history.
