You don’t need a collector’s vocabulary to care for a rug. A few names help you talk to a repairer and keep you from doing something irreversible.
- Medallion
- The center motif—floral or geometric. The “heart,” if you like.
- Border
- The outer frames. The widest is the main border; the skinny ones are guard borders.
- Warp
- Foundation threads that run the length of the rug. They also become the fringe. Pile knots tie onto them.
- Weft
- Foundation threads that run left to right, packing the knots so they don’t wander.
- Fringe
- Warp that extends past the end and is knotted, braided, or otherwise finished so the rug cannot unravel. Never cut it off. Unraveling starts there. Call for a repair estimate early; delay makes a small job a large one.
- Field
- The main body inside the borders.
- Mihrab
- The arch on a prayer rug, the niche that points toward Mecca.
- Spandrel
- The corner ornaments just inside the border.
When a rug “has lines,” you may be seeing the foundation, not a stain. When it has white dots on a worn face, you may be seeing warp knots, not bleach. Knowing the skeleton keeps you from treating construction as damage.
When you are ready for a real reset, start with rug cleaning.
Need a hand? Arizona Oriental Rug & Carpet Care serves Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Flagstaff, Sedona, and surrounding Northern Arizona from 565 E Z Street, Suite 1A, Prescott, AZ 86301. Hours 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. Call 928-778-2343 or email in**@*************al.com. Ask about rug cleaning. Pickup and delivery are available.
