PERSIAN GHOM SILK RUGS

Ghom, a city of half a million people, lies south of Teheran, by the road to the Markazi (Central) province. The city's rug industry was only developed after 1930 but has gained a good reputation. As there is no tradition or precedent to draw on, the weavers get their motifs from different sources, from where they transfer and combine them.

Some patterns are completely copied and it is not uncommon to see copies of Joshqan or Sirjan rugs made in Ghom, but they much finer than the originals and made with a silk pile. In addition, several variations of medallions and uniform patterns are made. The pile is either silk with silk warp and weft, or wool, or wool mixed with silk, with a cotton base. The knotting is usually fine. A wide range of colours is used, sometimes in combinations that appear odd to westerners. A powerful pink and green is particularly characteristic of the silk rugs.