Afshar rugs

Afshar rugs are similar to Caucasian rugs in style and color; generally the sizes of the rugs are up to 5x7 feet, sometimes larger size is also available. The patterns used are geometric with designs like of many medallions connected in diamond shape, hexagon or octagon shape, or else a hexagon covering the entire field. The design like gul farangi, botehs and Afshar-e-Morghi are generally used as a design to cover all over the carpet and another reputed design is floral medallion and vase at each corner of the rug. The colors used are dark red, reddish brown, brown, dark reddish-blue, dark blue, burnt orange, ocher, and to highlight the contrast the white, ivory, yellow colors are used.

The symmetric Turkish knots and asymmetric persiann knot are used. The count of the knot per square inch is 248 knots. The foundation of the rug is either wool or cotton. Afshar style, are used in other countries like India, China and Pakistan. The availability of Afshar rugs are in the cities of Shiraz, Kerman and Yazd.

Ardabil rugs

During the reign of Safavid Dynasty in 16th and 17th Centuries rug weaving was in peak at Ardabil but it faced the down fall during the reign of Qajar dynasty (1794-1925). Since, 80 years Ardabil rugs gained the reputation and produced to meet the necessity of the world market.

The material used is these rugs are fine wool and silk in northwestern Iran. The motifs used in Ardabil rugs are similar to Caucasian rugs, mostly geometric in pattern and the layouts generally have multiple connected diamond-shaped medallions and octagonal shapes all-over; the famous feature in Adrabil rug are Mahi design of a diamond medallion with small fish throughout. The motifs in borders of the rugs are more compared with Caucasian rugs. The colors used are of lighter shade and the background colors are turquoise, buff, cream, navy and light green. The Ardabil rugs mostly use persiann knots. These rugs are available in almost in all sizes.

Bakhtiari Rugs

Bakhtiari rugs are woven in the province of Chahar Mahal-and-Bakhtiari located in west central Iran. The pattern used in the Bakhtiari rugs tends to be geometric & semi-geometric and the curvilinear designs are rare. These rugs are famous for their garden carpet Kheshti design - flower and tendril motifs populated inside the geometrical compartments. The feature of the rug is that the field is completed with the lattice designs and floral ornaments designs and tree-of-life is profound in Bakhtiari rugs.

Bakhtiari rugs have the individuality, these rugs are colorful and bright; their design cover all over the carpet. The colors used are deep reds, bright blues, navy, green, brown, ocher, and beige for light shade white and ivory are used.

Bakhtiari rugs uses symmetric Turkish knot in general but weavers from Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari use the asymmetric persiann knot. Bakhtiari rugs are sold as Bakhtiari or they may also sold with village name where they are produced - Chahal Shotur, Saman, or Farah Dumbah. The fine-knotted Bakhtiari rugs are also known as Bibbibaffs, means "woven by a woman" in persiann.

Bijar

Bijar rugs are known as village rugs as they are produced for the domestic use and they are woven in Bijar and its neighboring villages, making of these rugs is also possible inside houses than workshop. The pattern of Bijar rugs are geometric pattern with curvilinear. The predominant colors of Bijar rugs are navy, cherry red, brown, light blue, pink, yellow, ocher, orange, beige and ivory. The symmetrical Turkish knot and asymmetrical (persiann) knot is used in weaving.

The motifs generally used in Bijar rugs are the herati, boteh, mina-khani, zell-i-sultan and gul farangi. The highlight of the herati design is the large hexagon-shaped medallion and corners are fully covered with design. Bijar rugs have several small borders, and the frequently used motif in the border is the Shah Abbasi motif.

Bijar rugs are dense, heavy, and exceptionally durable as the warp and the weft strands are closely knitted, due to their close weave, the foundation may break if it is folded.

Isfahan

Isfahan rugs are known for its symmetrical and colorful design pattern with 15 colors on the rugs - turquoise, navy, red, beige and pale mushroom with a striking contrast between the borders and field. These rugs produced during the 16th & 17th Century. The knots of Isfahan traditional rugs depend on the persiann knots with varying knots per square inch, depending on the quality of the rug.

Isfahan traditional rugs come in a variety of material combinations - wool on cotton, wool and silk blend on cotton, wool and silk blend on silk, or silk on silk. The commonly the Isfahan traditional rugs are of 4 x 6 to 8 x 10 feet and they are also available in sizes up to 10 x 18 feet. These rugs are best suitable for the home decors.

Farahan

The rug is named after the place of its production, Farahan is a village located in the province of Markazi in central Iran. Farahan rugs generally have a geometric pattern and with some curvilinear. These high quality rugs are mainly woven by the asymmetrical knot on cotton foundation. The size of most Farahan rugs is do-zar it is about 4.5x7 ft.

These rugs are of two types, in type one the design is woven through out the layout with the motifs designs like herati, gul hannai, boteh or mina-khani, in this Herati, is the popular motif.

In type two medallions is used in the layout. These medallions generally have large hexagon, diamond, or oval design with large pendants with the long corners that they either meet or do meet in the center of the border on sides of the rug. Two common motifs used in the field of these rugs are the herati and gul hannai.

The palette is dominated by indigo blue, dark and other shades of green, yellow and orange-red. Black or deep blue are used for outlining the motifs.

Hamadan

Hamadan rugs, is produced in west central Iran and the villages in the close vicinity, it is the largest trade centers for tribal rugs with the village name for the rugs.

Generally Hamadan rugs have a geometric pattern; the common designs seen are medallion-and-corner or boteh, herati. Usually the herati designs have a narrow field in the shape of a large octagon making corners. The foundations of Hamadan rugs are generally cotton, sometime they are made of goat hair. The pile of Hamadan rugs are always made of soft wool. Hamadan rugs are particularly produced for stair runner.

Saruk and the places near to this village are specialized in producing floral spray design, highlighting the trend of American pattern. The color used in the background of Hamadan rugs are red, blue, dark brown, white, black, green, gold and ocher.

Hamadan rugs are available in different size but large size rugs are rare. Hamadan rugs use symmetrical Turkish knot on cotton foundation, in some rugs wool is used as foundation and sometime rugs foundation have the combination of camel hair and wool is used for foundation. Hamadan rugs typically have long pile and the weave is dense due to the use of single-wefted and using more rows of knots.

Hamadan

Heriz: Heriz is a city situated near the city of Tabriz a major rug-weaving center in Iran. The rugs from Heriz are renowned worldwide. The design and the style of these rugs are unique and easily distinguishable from other rugs.

The designs normally found in these rugs are large diamond medallion or floral medallion with eight petals and the corners of the rug have the design as in the centre medallion with geometric pattern. The rugs generally have crowded background at sometimes they also have plain background. Some Heriz rugs have geometric floral motifs such the shah abbasi and rarely curvilinear floral motifs is used throughout layout.

The major colors used in Heriz rugs are brownish red, light and dark pink, light and dark blue and ivory, Blue is used to contrast. Heriz rugs are also known as Bakhshayesh, Mehraban, Serapi, or Gorevan.

Joushaghan

Joushaghan rugs are produced in Joushaghan village, a province near Isfahan. Joushaghan rugs have cotton foundation with wool pile and the asymmetrical persiann knot is used. The rugs are of high quality and limited production; investments in these rugs are expensive but it is worth the investment.

Joushaghan rugs have geometric floral motifs in the shape of diamonds. The willow tree and gul hannai motif are populated in the geometric. The designs are either woven all-over or medallion-and-corner layout.

The background color of Joushaghan rugs could be either deep red or deep blue, and the motifs are woven in colors of dark blue, light blue, white, green, beige, red and yellow. The border is usually beige or blue. These rugs of higher quality are sold under the names of the neighboring villages, Meimeh or Murcecar. Joushaghan.

Kashan

Kashan rugs are produced in the city of Kashan. Traditional designs of the rugs are long diamond and flora medallion usually Shah Abbasi pendants. The entire rug including the medallion, the corners, the borders, and the field are filled with Shah Abbasi and islimi motifs. The background colors are navy, rich red, beige and ivory. Common design colors include red, blue, turquoise, ocher, and beige, white, brown. The asymmetric (persiann) knot used in Kashan rugs woven in Kashan. The pattern used is mostly curvilinear.

Kashan

Kerman: Kerman rugs are woven in the city of Kerman and towns, villages in the vicinity. The curvilinear pattern of Kerman rugs is exception with the famous Kerman pictorials. Kerman rugs involve most of the cartoons design. In late 19th Century to capture the Western market, designs of Aubusson or Quran are practiced mainly medallion-and-corners with an open field. The open field helps to identify the features of these modern Kerman rugs.

The traditional Kerman rugs has the design of Shah Abbasi medallion-and-corner, all-over floral and persiann, European themes. These rugs usually have 15 to 30 colors. The two prominent colors used in antique and semi-antique rugs are rich red and red-blue, modern rugs have pastel colors like lime green, pink, ivory and gray-blue. Turquoise, orange, champagne and beige are also used. Kerman rugs are woven with the asymmetric (persiann) knot.

Kilim (Soumak, Somac): There are many kinds of kilim rugs are available as it depends on the region of origin. Some kilim rugs are of unbleached woolen warps and single unbleached woolen wefts. In making kilims like Soumak, other kilims vary by its softer outer surface and colorful shades. Piles are not used in kilim.

Malayer

Malayer rugs are manufactured in the town of Malayer and its surrounding villages; it is situated in the northwestern province of Hamadan.

The pattern of Malayer rugs is chiefly geometric. The designs are mainly all-over boteh & herati, zel-i-sultan, diamond and hexagon shape medallions, and multi-sided vertically connected medallions. The rugs are generally decorated by small motifs. The medallions in the rugs are populated with boteh or herati motifs and the background of the rug is decorated with herati or boteh motifs. Sometimes the herati is medallion filler and boteh is used in the background or vice versa. The background colors used in Malayer rugs are dark blue, rust red and cream, and light blue, red, ocher and burnt orange are used for the motifs.

Malayer rugs are rarely woven larger than 4'x 7'. Both the asymmetrical (persiann) and symmetrical (Turkish) knot are used depending on the area. The foundation is cotton, and the weft strands are frequently dyed in blue.

Mashad

Mashad is in the province of Khorasan in northeastern Iran. Mashad is a trading center for the rugs of its neighboring villages and tribes -Baluchis and Turkomans of Iran. Mashad mostly produces large rugs. The majority of Mashad rugs are woven with the asymmetrical persiann knot and the symmetrical Turkish knot is found.

The pattern of Mashad rugs is mainly curvilinear. The common design in Mashad rug is shah abbasi medallion-and-corner with large pendants. The pattern are similar to the Kashan shah abbasi medallion-and-corner with a diamond shape medallion and a background populated with shah abbasi motifs are else similar to Kerman Koran with a plainer background and medallion-and-corner; but the medallion is more circular than the Kerman medallions. The other motifs in Mashad rugs are herati and boteh of endless repeat. Mashad rugs with the herati motif are know and marketed as Khorasan province name.

The unique feature that helps in identifying Mashad rugs are its corners, the medallion-and-corner layout of Mashad rugs are long, they either meet or do meet near the center of borders on each side.

Nain

The city of Nain is situated in the province of Esfahan. Nain rugs are woven with the asymmetrical (persiann) knot. The rugs have either wool pile, or wool pile with silk highlights, all-silk and the foundation of the rugs can be either cotton or silk.

Curvilinear designs of Nain rugs are popular worldwide for its excellent weave and fine detail. The rugs use animal motifs in the background and they are similar to Isfahan rugs in design, construction and other style used is islimi motif.

The rugs commonly have shah abbasi and islimi medallion-and-corner, all-over shah abbasi, mina-khani, and paneled (often curved panels). In the shah abbasi and islimi medallion-and-corner design, the medallion is covered by atleast 16 shah abbasi moti and background of the rug is filled with shah abbasi and islimi motifs.

Nain rugs are remarkable for its restrained & graceful palette. The colors used in Nain rugs are muted than bright- White, ivory, beige, buff, light gray, light blue, turquoise, navy, light brown, camel, and burgundy. The background colors are beige and navy. Shiraz - Shiraz is the capital city of the Fars province in southwestern Iran. It is a major trading centre of rugs for nearby towns and villages, the rugs woven by nomadic tribes of the province such as the Qashghais. They are labeled and sold as Shiraz rugs.

Qashghai

Qashghai rugs are always bold, colorful, and geometric designs. Rug of Qashghai has similarity with Caucasian styles mainly in shape and the designs they include boteh, diamond panels, diamond or hexagon shapes, floral, and animal or human motifs in endless repeating allover the layout. Important feature of Qashghai medallions is that central medallion sometimes may consist of diamond or square shape inside the medallion and is surrounded by four hooks. A unique Qashghai design is the hebatlu, in the corners of the rugs have the identical centerpiece design but varying in size, these are woven in white.

Gabbeh rugs are special type of Qashghai rug decorated with geometric and pictorial portrait which are rarely placed on the field. Gabbeh designs mainly have Lion, consisting of one or two large Lions or few smaller ones lay out horizontally. These lion motif are evern woven on plain background.

The colors used in Qashghai rugs are deep reds and blues, ocher, yellow, green and white. Rug woven using horizontal looms have wool foundation and tribe make rug of cotton foundation.

Tabriz

Tabriz rugs designs are the most diverse designs of Iran, these rugs are woven in Tabriz and near by village and it is the important center for weaving rug. The designs used are geometric and use symmetric Turkish knot.

The designs in the rugs have lot of interpretations, the use of shah abbasi medallion-corner, islimi medallion - corner, shah abbasi and islimi medallion and corner, Koran medallion-and-corner, Sheikh Safi medallion-and-corner are distinctive. The palettes of Tabriz rugs are various as of the design in the rugs. They have unique feature of using numerous colors in single rug.

The popular designs in the Tabriz rugs are finely woven shah abbasi and islimi medallion-and-corner, as these rugs has silk foundation and wool pile with silk highlights. The background and border colors used in the design are pink, peach, beige, and ivory. The motifs have varied colors like blue, green, yellow, orange, and lavender. The pastel colors are often used and dark colors of Tabriz rugs is also available.

Qum

The productions of Qum rugs begin from 1930’s, Qum rugs usually have design pattern of other rugs. Qum rugs are woven with the asymmetric persiann knot; these rugs use silk, semi silk- semi wool, and kork. The foundation of Qum rugs could be either cotton or silk.

The patterns used in the Qum rugs are curvilinear, with floral motifs with intricate leaves and vines. The designs used in Qum rugs consist of vase, moharramaat, mir-i-boteh, zell-i sultan, panelled garden, hunting, tree-of-life, pictorial, Shah Abbassi melallion-and-corner with typical circular medallion, all-over Shah Abbasi, medallion with open field, medallions resembling the famous Esfahan Sheikh Lotfollah medallion.

The colors used in Qum rugs are diverse it has pale background and border colors -ivory, champagne, turquoise and light green. It is possible to have dark background colors like dark blue and red. Colors used in the motif are red, blue and green, commonly used colors in Qum rugs are mushroom, rose, gold, yellow ocher and orange ocher. In silk Qum rugs, occasionally golden yellow outlines are woven around the motifs.

Ravar

Ravar rug are manufacture in the town of Ravar, it is mainly in Kerman style. The special design in Ravar is called the 'thousand flower' in this flowers are covered throughout field of the rug. The name Ravar or Lavar is used to explain the best quality rugs produced in and around Kerman.

Sarab

The pattern of Sarab rugs is almost always geometric and the layout has a long medallion and corners and the design of the corner is similar to that of medallion. Some times medallions are hex-column and the outline of the medallion is zigzagged. The background is generally done by the camel hair and left without color or it has the constant colors of blue or red. The motifs are woven in red, brown, blue or buff.

Sarab rugs are famous for good quality runners of 10 to 20 feet long and 3 feet wide and also doormat size rugs.

Saruk

Saruk is a village located in the province of Markazi and these rugs are generally-known for high quality. They are woven with good quality wool on cotton foundation with the asymmetrical knot. Saruk rugs can be geometric or curvilinear in pattern.

Saruk rugs are of two types - traditional and American. The traditional design Saruk rug have medallion-and-corner layout which consists of geometric and with complete touch of naturalistic floral motifs, they consist of herati, boteh, or gul hannai. During the World War I, the American Saruk rug design of floral sprays lessen in its production, the design are then woven in Saruk highlighting floral medallion or medallion-like, these rugs have an open field similar to modern Kermans.

The main colors used in the traditional designs consisted of red, blue, burnt orange, ocher and champagne. The main colors used in American Saruks are rich reds and blues. Occasionally the motifs are outlined with a lighter red, light yellow or turquoise to create contrast between the background and the motifs. An intense salmon pink called dughi pink is typical of the American Saruks. American Saruk designs have the impact on India, Romania and China rugs.

Senneh

Senneh rugs are made in Sanandaj, the capital city of the province of Kurdistan. The asymmetrical knot also known as persiann or Senneh knot is used, sometime symmetrical Turkish knot is also used in Senneh rugs The foundation used is almost always cotton and the pile wool, with few exception like antique rugs which have silk foundations.

The pattern of Senneh rugs is almost always geometric. The usual motif seen in Senneh rugs is the herati motif with medallion layout. The medallions generally are hexagons; these medallions are concentric, smaller medallions populated inside the larger ones. In some design the large medallion covers the entire field and sometimes the whole field is covered with herati and boteh motif.

The background colors used in Senneh rugs are cherry red, navy, black, brown, ocher and beige. The frequently used motif colors are yellow, red, light green, orange and white.

Varamin

Varamin town is strategically located and the region is populated with diverse population and tribe community - Kurds, Lurs, Arabs, Qashghais and Turkomans. The Varamin rugs are made in all three settings of workshop, village and nomadic. The nomads weave both pile and flat weaves. The designs are mainly geometric; and employ a variety of motifs using bright colors.

The prominent design of Varamin is the mina-khani design; field is covered with flower like daisies connected together in lines by forming diamonds or circles in and all-over layout. The background color, in this design, is almost always blue and the motifs are usually woven in white, yellow, orange, bright red, and blue.

Varamin rugs highlighting other design are merging of herati motifs in middle of shah abbasi motifs. The motifs are woven in red, green, and blue with white highlights against a blue-black background, The knot used are asymmetrical persiann knot, and the nomads Varamin are either use asymmetrical or the symmetrical Turkish knot.

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