History of Baluch hand-made carpet

About 2000 years ago, the Scythians migrated from Siberia and settled in Sistan. They farmed and continued to weave carpets. The writings that are found during the early days of Islam refer to the fame of Sistani hand-wovens. The carpet weaving industry of Sistan region has unique features. The carpet weaving industry of Sistan region has unique characteristics. Baluch hand-made carpets are woven by Baluch nomads. These nomads live near the mountains of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Most of the Baloch people of Iran live in Khorasan and the cities of Torbat-Jam, Kashmir and Sarakhs. A group of Baloch people also live in Zabul(Sistan) and its surroundings. The Baluch carpet is very similar to the carpets of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

                     Persian Baluch rugs

The main features of Baluch carpet

• Baluch carpets are usually woven in small sizes. The smallest Baluch carpets are usually woven in dimensions of 80×120 cm and larger carpets in dimensions of 100×150 cm. Weaving of small runners is also common among Baluch nomads.
• In the past, the pile, warp and weft of Baluch carpets were made of sheep’s wool. This was considered the characteristic of Baluch carpets, but now cotton is used for the warp and weft. Also, goat hair is sometimes used to weave carpet selvages.
• Baluch carpets are woven with an asymmetric knot and with a thin weft technique. The weft of Baluch carpets is usually twisted brown. The number of knots in these carpets reaches 25-40 knots per 7 centimetre. Also, the carpet is woven horizontally.
• The weight of Baluch carpets is light and the price is relatively low.
• The colors of Baluch carpets are often dark like dark red, dark blue and brown.

Designs of Baluch hand-made carpet

Prayer design:

The best prayer rugs are mostly woven in the Khaf region(Khorasan province). Prayer rugs have a design like an altar or the so-called gate of heaven. Among the main parts of a prayer design, we can mention the altar, the lachaks above the altar and the borders.

   Antique Timuri Baluch Prayer design , 1880s

Frame design:

Baluch designs are mostly influenced by Turkmen and Caucasian designs and are mostly woven in the form of geometrical shapes such as rhombus, hexagon and octagon and do not follow revolving lines. In this design, like the Bakhtiari-kheshti design, there are a number of frames of the same size that form the general design of the carpet.

              Baluch rug with frame design

Medallion designs:

This design has hook-shaped medallions. For the inside of the medallion, similar geometric shapes are used.

               Baluchi,1960s, 3’9″*7’7″

Bird design:

Bird is used as a symbol in many Baluch carpets. These designs either have simple birds motifs or designs similar to real birds.

                  Baluchi bird design rug

The rest of the designs of Baluch carpets are: Tree of life, Muhramat, Afshan, animals, etc.

Maintenance of Baluch carpets

• Baluch hand-woven carpets are woven with high-quality wool, so they are very durable. These carpets are resistant to water and stains, but like other carpets, if liquids are spilled on the carpet, do not rub the area and try to remove the excess liquid quickly with a spoon, then clean the affected area with a sponge. You can also use household detergents to remove stains, although our advice is to leave this work to experts.
• Baluch carpets are often dyed with natural colors or high-quality chemical dyes, and they retain their color for years, but if they are exposed to direct sunlight for a long time, they become lighter. It is better to prevent this issue from your windows Install curtains or move the carpet in different seasons.
• Like other woolen carpets, avoid placing this carpet in dark and humid areas, and if you store it, place it in a place where fresh air flows.
• Vacuum these carpets every week so that dust does not remain on the carpet. If there is dust for a long time, the carpet will be moth-eaten. If you take proper care of this carpet, it will be useful for you for many years.
  

                    The pile of Baluch rug

Online purchase of hand-woven Baluch carpet

Carpet weaving is a difficult task that requires a lot of skill and effort. Weaving these carpets takes months and sometimes years. Baluch carpets are woven by 4 or 5 skilled weavers, which usually takes 10 months to weave a Baluchi carpet. Handwoven carpets They always give a sense of splendor and beauty to the space and provide comfort and warmth in any space they are placed in. These carpets are woven knot by knot by talented artists and the designs of these carpets express the life, culture and imagination of those who They are woven. By buying any carpet, know that you are bringing to your home the hand-woven rugs of people who have spent a large part of their time and life weaving carpets.

   Interior design with Persian Baluch rug