Nain

Structure of Origin:

The designs of Nain rugs are closely based on those of nearby Esfahan, though there is a distinct Nain palette consisting of shades of blue with different shades of buff and cream. The designs are often highlighted in white silk. All pieces are asymmetrically knotted on either cotton or silk foundations. Nain is particularly well-known for its production of very large carpets, in excess of 7.6m (25 ft) in length and woven entirely in silk; the cost of materials, not to mention the skills involved in weaving silk on this scale has meant that few extra large carpets have been woven.

History of Origin:

This city in central Iran has probably not been a major rug weaving centre for more than about 60 years. However, it is worth nothing that the surviving silk “Hunting” carpets from the 16th and 17th centuries demonstrate that there is a long tradition of such weaving in Persia. In the 19th and early-20th centuries, large silk carpets were woven almost exclusively in either Kashan (where we assume the Safavid carpets were made) or Tabriz, and these historic weaving centres have been joined in recent decades by nain; we illustrate an exceptional example of this type as Plate 188.