 Gharadjeh rugs are hand woven by nomads that live between the Caspian Sea and Tabriz. This region in Iran is known for being the most influential area in the world when it comes to the development of the modern day rug industry. These beautiful and durable rugs come in very long lengths, making them ideal for use as a stair runner. In North America the stair runner is much more commonly used than in Europe, but the trend is definitely catching on. Men and women of the tribe are both trained as skilled weavers. The Turkish knot is the one most commonly used on Gharadjeh rugs and the average KPSI (knots per square inch) is approximately 53.
The Gharadjeh rugs can be easily differentiated from others in northwestern Iran because of its repeating medallion design. The only other tribe that weaves in this way is the Turkamen tribe. The patterns on Gharadjeh rugs are geometric, with small and unique key medallions in an all-over design. Occasionally animals and plants can be found in the field. If instead of a stair runner, the Gharadjeh rug is large and more square, it will have the name Goravan or Heriz. The Heriz design – geometric shield pattern with turtle design border - is used in Gharadjeh rug weaving, but many are decorated with designs from earlier kennareh (runners). While older Gharadjeh rugs would feature deep red as the dominant color, more recent ones are woven in neutral earth tones with light colored and ivory backgrounds.
The foundation on Gharadjeh rugs is cotton, while the pile is wool. They are extremely tough and durable so that they are able to withstand the heavy amount of traffic that they will have to handle. In addition to serving a very specific function, Gharadjeh rugs are also decorative, providing beauty and warmth to its surroundings.
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