What it means
کیلیم (kilim) refers to a flat-woven textile floor covering with no knotted pile: the weft threads are packed tightly to create the pattern, giving the rug equal appearance on both sides. The standard Persian form of this word is گلیم (gelim), and the form کیلیم reflects the Turkish and international spelling. Etymologically, Persian گلیم and Aramaic גלימא (galīmā, blanket, garment) are cognates, both descended independently from Ancient Greek κάλυμμα (kálumma, cover), from the verb καλύπτω (kalypto, to cover). The word entered English via Turkish kilim. A گلیم is lighter and less expensive than a pile carpet (فرش, farsh) and was traditionally used as a floor covering, saddle bag, or wall hanging by nomadic tribes.
How to use it
- یه گلیم قدیمی رو دیوار داریم. (ye gelim-e ghadimi ru-ye divâr dârim.) “We have an old kilim hanging on the wall.”
- گلیم سبکتر از فرشه. (gelim sabk-tar az farshe.) “A kilim is lighter than a pile carpet.”
- این گلیم دستبافته. (in gelim dastbâfte.) “This kilim is hand-woven.”
- گلیمهای قشقایی خیلی رنگوارنگن. (gelim-hâye Ghashghâyi kheyli rang-o-range.) “Qashqai kilims are very colourful.”
Cultural note
Flat-woven gellim production spans Iran, Turkey, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, with each region developing distinct geometric patterns and colour combinations. In Iran, notable weaving traditions come from the Qashqai and Kurdish tribes, as well as urban workshops in Senneh (Sanandaj), famous for fine-quality kilims. Unlike pile carpets, which are woven in a single direction, a kilim’s reversible structure means the pattern is identical on both faces. Today kilims are collected internationally and their bold geometric designs have influenced contemporary interior design.