Identifying the Knot Type

You can identify the type of knot used in any hand-knotted rug by turning it over and examining the construction at its back. The back will display thousands of tiny bumps or loops, squarish in shape, which are the visible parts of the knots as they go around the warp threads

If you see only two loops or bumps visible across the warp at the place where the knot has been tied, you’ll know that the rug has been constructed using the Ghiordes knot. If you find only one single loop or bump visible, know that the rug has been constructed using the Senneh knot.

If you find that the knot count is half or less than half of the warp count, then the rug has most likely been constructed using the Jufti knot.

Though not identifiable by knots at a first glance, Tibetan rugs will be fine, luxurious, with yellow and grey as popular colours.

Turkish or Ghiordes Knot

Commonly used by the Anatolian and Caucasian weaving groups of Turkey and by other Turkish and Kurdish tribes in Iran, this is a type of symmetrical or single knot. It is made by warping the yarn across two adjoining warp strands, and pulling it back through the inside of both warps and drawing it through the centre so that both ends come out between the same warps. Rugs with Turkish knots produce a very secure pile construction.

Persian or Senneh Knot

Widely used in Iran, Central Asia, India, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this is a type of asymmetric knot or double knot, where the yarn is draped around two warp strands with only one of the warps being completely encircled. The yarn is then passed open behind the adjoining warp in such a manner that the two ends only have only a single warp to divide them. The knot could be wrapped in either direction and can open either to the right or left. Rugs with Persian knots have very fine detailing. 

Jufti Knot

Originating in Khorassan, Iran, this knot is made when the yarn is wrapped around four warp strands at a time instead of around two strands. Because the wrapping is done across 4 strands, these rugs have a much lower KPSI and the time taken to complete them is much shorter. However, they are inferior in quality and lack the fineness, strength and durability that determine the structural integrity of a rug.

Tibetian Knot

Found primarily in Tibetan carpets, this knot is woven by looping the yarn around two warps and then further around a rod. In this way, an entire row of loops is created and then cut down to make a knot lending an unique and distinctive design to the rug. Though they appear to be thinner than a Persian rug, they are equally durable and long-lasting.

Spanish Knot

Originating in Spain, the Spanish knot looped around single alternate warps so the ends were brought out on either side. It was mainly in use in Spain, differing from Turkish and Persian knots in that it looped around only one warp yarn.

Knots per square inch

Hand-Knotted carpets are easy to distinguish in terms of quality by determining their KPSI (Knots per square inch). In simple terms, higher KPSI indicates higher rug quality, whereas lower KPSI indicates lower rug quality. One criterion that determines the quality of a knotted area rug is the amount of knots. Other factors include fibre quality, washing, dyeing, and so on.

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