Warp

The warp refers to the set of longitudinal threads stretched onto the loom before weaving begins, forming the structural backbone of any carpet or flatweave. In knotted pile carpets, warp threads run from fringe to fringe and serve as the anchor points for the pile knots as well as the foundation for the weft shoots that hold the structure together. The material, thickness, and tension of the warp — commonly wool, cotton, or silk depending on region and period — significantly influence a carpet’s handle, drape, and durability, and are therefore important criteria for attribution and dating. Depressed warps, in which alternate warp threads are pulled behind others through tight wefting, create a denser pile and are a characteristic technical feature of certain weaving traditions such as those of Tabriz or Kashan.