Persian Rugs

There is some confusion over this term as it has also been used to refer to oriental rugs in general. The country known as Persia changed its name to Iran in the 1920s, but by that time the term 'Persian' had become something of a generic name for any hand-made pile rug from the Near East. Rugs from Iran are still often referred to as Persian.

Differences in design and type of Persian rugs can be attributed to the region and period from which they were made. There are distinct divisions between rugs made in urban and rural areas, and those woven by nomadic tribes. These differences are further characterised by the cultural traditions of the rug making area from which they derive. For example, rugs from Isfahan (central Iran) typically exhibit 250-600 knots per square inch, sometimes have a silk foundation and often depict hunting scenes, whereas those hailing from Kerman, to the south-east, usually yield 140-300 knots per square inch, are made from a higher quality wool, and often contain a deeper pile.