Gholtogh Rug/An Introduction on the Carpets of Iran

Gholtogh village is located in Zanjan province, Eijroud district. It is in west of Zanjan 70 kilometers on Dandi Road, uneven plains. The weather is mild, but cold in winter.
Approximately 1000 families residing in the village are speaking In Azeri. This village has a historic background with a scout tower, bath and mill. Its residents are partially native and partially of Afshar folk groups (Mohammad Lou, Pir Lou, Ojagh Lou).
Gholtogh hand-weaves are woven in Gholtogh and surrounding villages like Boughda Kandi, Khatoon Kandi, Shahrak, etc.
Gholtogh carpet was previously produced in large dimensions (18 meters) but today is produced in famous Do-Zar, Zar-o-Nim, Zar-o-Charak, Kharak, Poshti, Doormat and especially Kenareh (Long Runner).

Raw Materials and Weave

Consumed wool in the carpets of this region is procured from local sheep and women spin yams to handspun glen. Gholtogh carpets were Takht Baf (flat-weave) with 100 percent wool. In some villages of Gholtogh, edge finishes were wrapped by goat hair with a combination of wool or goat hair alone.
At present weaving carpet in Gholtogh takes the form of Lul-Baf (double weft, completely offset warps) with warp and weft from cotton. Thick weft is in red and thin weft in dark color. Looms are fixed.
Beater made by Zanjan craftsmen is a metal out of handle and frame of which a comb is formed.
Gholtogh weaves, with 30-35 knot counts, are from quality weaves of the province.

Design

Gholtogh designs have a vast variety woven by mental image; weaving by Ornak (a piece of carpet) is of course seen in some villages. From a long time ago, Tabarzini, Shahrak, Shah Bolaghi, Medallion and Comer, Gul Mirza Ali and Dahan Azhdari have been widespread but currently Shamseh Medallion design woven in the form of double weft is famous. There are several borders for Gholtogh carpets but Tousbagha (Tortoise), Apple Blossom, and Farhad Mirza are more conspicuous. Designs are pectinated and geometrical.

Coloring

The carpets of this region have their own special color. Some villages of Gholtogh dye their required piles in Zanjan market.
Applied colors are about 8 with a lustrous appearance especially turquoise blue extracted from indigo which adds to the beauty of Gholtogh carpets, and is used in border.
Sometimes carpets with different and new colorings indicating the creativity of their weavers catch the eyes.