Naïn laine persian carpet - silk circa 1980

Fully hand-knotted, wool and silk, vegetable dyes, size: 2.60mx1.60cm. The naïn carpet is a type of persian carpet. The carpet of naïn owes its existence to the decline of weaving. The importation of western fabrics had thwarted the sale of the fabrics, and the dwarf weavers, renowned for the quality of the yarns in their fabrics, began to make carpets that became excellent within a few years. The décor of the naïn is very similar to that of the carpet of isfahan. The field is also decorated with tight interlacings of flowering branches, but the central medallion is rarer. Many carpets have plant and animal motifs. The border is composed of a central band and two secondary strips, which can also be framed by two narrow stripes. The colours are characteristic: beige, ivory and white, used on a background either light green or blue. The naïn carpets are often accompanied by a complementary name: the la. La is a farsi word meaning "layer"; it specifically refers to the number of layers of yarn used in a naïn mat, which can be used to determine the level of quality.