How do I place a runner?

Lay the textile centrally along the corridor floor, leaving an equal margin of bare timber or stone on either side to frame the pattern. This arrangement protects high-traffic zones while displaying the linear design. Ensure the surface beneath is level and fitted with a suitable underlay to prevent sliding and reduce wear on the hand-spun wool pile.

Are these runners made of wool?

Most examples utilise hand-spun wool for both the pile and the foundational warp and weft threads, providing natural durability for narrow spaces. Cotton foundations also appear in specific regional workshops from the late nineteenth century onward, supporting the dense knotting.

How do I clean an antique runner?

Vacuum the piece gently using suction only, avoiding the rotating brush roll that can pull at the hand-spun wool knots and fringe. Professional textile conservation specialists should handle deeper cleaning to protect the natural dyes and historical structure.

What regions made these rugs?

Weavers across Persia and the Caucasus produced these elongated formats in villages, tribal camps, and regional production centres. Districts such as Heriz, Kazak, Kurdish regions, and Afshar territories each contributed distinct geometric and floral design vocabularies.