Persian Rugs

Contemporary Persian rugs are mostly machine-made; the traditional handmade rugs are still widely found all around the world, but as a rule generally have higher prices than their machine woven counterparts. For many of us the term "Persian rug" is synonymous with oriental rugs in general.

The earliest extant Persian rugs come from the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century. However, painted depictions establish a longer history of manufacture. Classical Persian rugs of this period offer a wonderful variety because royal weavers were commissioned to create new and exciting designs. Common rug motifs include scrolling vines, arabesques, palmettes, cloud bands, medallions, and overlapping geometrics rather than depictions of animals or humans. Persian rug designs being based in Shia Islam is not as strict against human images that we see in Sunni influenced Turkish rug weaving.

Wool is the most common fiber for Persian rugs but cotton fiber is often used for the foundation of city and workshop rugs. Silk Persian rugs date back to at least the sixteenth century in Sabzavar and the Seventeenth century in Kashan and Yezd. Silk is not as common since silk is more costly and less durable than wool or wool on cotton. Silk rugs are rarer and tend to increase in value with age. In fact, Persian rugs are not deemed to be their finest until after 30 to 40 years of age. Frequently, instead of being used as carpets, silk rugs are displayed as wall tapestry. This is principally because the silk wears faster with foot traffic, and showcasing it on the wall brings a finer ambiance to the art of the rug. Today, exceptionally fine silk Persian rugs are much desired. In fact, there is an old Persian saying: "The richer the man the thinner the carpet".

The major classical centers of Persian rug manufacturing were in Tabriz, Kashan, Herat , and Kerman. The bulk of rugs from Tabriz have a central medallion and quartered corner medallions superimposed over a field of scrolling vine ornament, sometimes punctuated with mounted hunters, single animals, or animal combat scenes.

Kashan is known for its silk rug manufacturing often in green or ivory in color. Most famously, for the three silk hunting rug masterpieces, depicting mounted hunters and animal prey. The Kashan Persian rugs are among the most valuable in existence today.

Herat Persian rugs, or ones of similar design created in Lahore and Agra, India, are the most numerous in Western collections. They are characterized by a red field with scrolling vine ornament and palmettes with dark green or blue borders.

Kerman Persian rugs are usually made with a very pale red or blue dye and tend to depict one central image as depicted in garden carpets (ornamented with formal gardens and water channels) and the ogival lattice carpets.