Glossary Persian & Oriental Rugs and Kilims

Foundation
An interlaced combination of warp and wefts in the rug's body..

Loom
A frame or machine for interlacing at right angles two or more sets of threads or yarns to form a rug.

Pile
The surface of a rug composed of an infinite number of loops of warp threads, or else of an infinite number of free ends of either warp or of weft, or filling, threads that stand erect from the foundation. In a looped pile rug the loops are uncut; in a cut pile rug the same or similar loops are cut, either in the loom during weaving or by a special shearing tool.

Selvedge
The edge on either side of a woven rug so finished as to prevent raveling.

Warp
A series of yarns extended lengthwise in a loom and crossed by the weft.

Weave
To make a rug on a loom by interlacing warp and weft threads.

Weft
Also called filling, in woven rugs, the widthwise, or horizontal, yarns carried over and under the warp, or lengthwise, yarns and running from selvage to selvage. Filling yarns are generally made with less twist than are warp yarns because they are subjected to less strain in the rug weaving process and therefore require less strength.