Kilims are flat-woven rugs which depend on the effect created by interweaving the warp and weft to produce their shape and pattern. They differ from more traditional carpets in that they don't have a pile (carpet pile is created by tying tiny knots around the warp and pressing them together). Both kilims and carpets are often talked about together as 'oriental rugs'.

Kilims are produced over a wide geographic area that takes in Turkey , the Balkans, Iran , the Caucasus, North Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Central Asian republics and parts of China.

Different designs are associated with different areas and tribes - good carpet dealers are able to identify a kilim's origins from the design even if they have no other information to go on.



There are several different categories of kilim depending on the weaving style. Two important groups are sumaks and cicims, which are thicker and heavier than the more traditional kilims.

Traditionally kilims were coloured using dyes made from plants or insects. These were then blended to create colours whose recipe was passed down from generation to generation. Some of the combinations are hard to reproduce today, even using chemicals.

Red - from the root of the madder plant
Blue - from the indigo plant
Yellow - from saffron and onions
Green - from turmeric leaves
Black - from pomegranate skin
Brown - from walnuts and tree bark