Beginner guide · 7 min
Kilims of Iran: a beginner’s guide
Editorial team · updated 2026-09-29
Flat weave
A kilim has no pile. Colour comes from weft threads that turn back at the edge of each colour area, sometimes leaving small slits.
Regions
Kilims are woven by Qashqai, Bakhtiari, Kurdish, Shahsavan and other groups. Attribution to a group needs specialist study.
Use and care
Kilims are light and reversible. Use a rug pad on hard floors and rotate often.
Related photographs
Representative photographs, not of any specific catalogued object. Sources on the credits page.