 A Persian rug runner is the second most common shape of rug, after the rectangular shape. Very long and narrow, the rug runner is ideal for hallways, stairways, and entrances. Also referred to as Corridor rugs, Persian rug runners on average are between 2.5 feet to 3 feet wide and 6 feet to 20 feet long. The ratio (width/length) of a small runner rug could be (3/1), while the ratio for a larger rug runner can be (10/1) or more. When decorating a very large space, an older Persian rug runner may be the ideal solution as they are often wider than 3 feet. However, in North American homes we have seen a demand for smaller widths and it is not uncommon to find an older Hamadan or Kurdish rug runner that has been reduced in width by having guard borders removed from the sides.
Historically the rug runner was used over a donkey's back. When the
nomadic tribes were living in tents, the rug runner was used at the
door steps or to cover an area next to the bed. They were often
referred to as Eshik rugs, meaning the area next to an entrance. Until
about 60 years ago, the rug runner was also used in traditional Persian
room arrangements. Persian living rooms were decorated with a set of
rugs including the Mianfarsh, the main piece or middle carpet, the
Kellegi, a rug runner at the head of the room, and one Kenareh rug
runner on either side of the middle carpet. Instead of using a table,
food was placed on a cloth on the middle rug. The Kellegi rug runner
provided seating for the host and the elderly, while the other guests
would sit on the Kenareh.
Over the years, our change in living and lifestyle has also changed the
way we use the rug runner. No longer used for seating, today we use the
rug runner as a floor covering on stairs and in entrances and hallways.
|