The Rug Library

In some Persian weaving regions knots are tied with the help of a hook-pointed knife called a gollab.

The panja is a heavy comb-like beater with metal prongs used in Indian dhurrie weaving to pack each weft pass down firmly, giving a dense, even weave.

During knotting, balls of yarn in each colour hang from the loom's upper beam so the weaver can reach the right colour for each knot.

The comb beater used to compact rows of knots and weft is known by several Persian names, including shana, dastak and daftin.

The basic tool kit of a pile-rug weaver is a knife for cutting yarn, a beating comb for packing rows, and shears for trimming the pile level.

Namda makers press the wet wool layers with a tool called a pinjra, or roll them up inside a grass or jute mat, before leaving the felt to dry.

In Kashmiri carpet workshops the loom is called the waan, and weavers periodically beat down knots and weft with a heavy comb known locally as a punja.

The comb beater is typically made of a row of metal blades splayed to form teeth, used to beat each weft pass tight against the knots.

The panja's weight helps settle wefts firmly in place, which contributes to the dense, durable weave of panja dhurries.

Tibetan-style rug weavers use a metal gauge rod as a key tool: its height sets the pile length and a groove along it guides the knife that cuts the loops.