Description of Design and History
Gaswin, or Kasvin, is a city in the northern part of Iran . It was formerly the capital of the Safavid empire in the mid-sixteenth century. It was probably the design source for rugs such as the Sanguszko carpet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The city was a source, between the First and Second World Wars, of medallion rugs very similar to Sarouks. The foundation is cotton and the knot density is between 130 to 200 knots per square inch. Kasvin is an American trade designation for rugs woven in the city of Hamadan . Alvand and Ecbetana are European trade designations for the same rug. Structurally, they are distinguished from the rugs of the Hamadan area in that they are double-wefted rather than single-wefted.