Where should I place a runner?

These long carpets suit hallways, corridors and narrow entryways where foot traffic is frequent. Their elongated proportions guide movement through domestic spaces. Position them on bare timber floors or over neutral floor coverings to let the indigo tones anchor the room.

How do I care for antique wool runners?

Regular gentle vacuuming without a rotating brush roll keeps dust from settling deep into the wool pile. Professional cleaning suited to antique textiles preserves the natural lanolin. Rotate the piece periodically to ensure even wear across the length of the hallway.

What materials make up these carpets?

Traditional examples rely upon wool and hand-spun wool for both the pile and the foundation structure. Cotton also appears in the foundational warps and wefts of later nineteenth and early twentieth century pieces. Natural dye methods produce the deep navy and indigo ground colours seen across these examples.

How are different regional styles told apart?

Regional identification depends on the geometry of the motifs, the structure of the borders and the palette employed. Kurdish and Caucasian pieces often favour geometric tribal symbols, while Persian workshops display intricate floral vines. Examining the knotting density and the materials on the reverse side further clarifies the origin.