Persian Carpets | Types of Persian Carpets

Hand weaving was a highly prized art form in the ancient Persian Empire, which is where Persian rugs originated. The Caucasus, West Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia were all included in Greater Persia. It is currently most commonly associated with Iran. A Persian rug from the 5th century BC is the world’s oldest known carpet. Persian rugs are mentioned in Greek texts published as early as 500 B.C. because of the craftsmanship required to make them, which is why they were initially regarded as extremely luxurious.

Different styles of Persian carpet emerged from various regions, each with its unique motif, as a result of the region’s isolation and geographical differences. Based on the symbols that are present in the design, historians can decipher which regions antique Persian rugs are from.

In general, Persian carpet that are hand-knotted fall into two categories: tribal or nomadic rugs as well as city rugs Persian rugs known as city rugs are woven in organized workshops by weavers following a paper design blueprint. The designer and the weaver of tribal or nomadic rugs are the same people. As a result, the Persian rug is made by the weaver from a mental image. The result is a design that is looser and more fluid. Itinerant mats are for the most part woven inside a home or tent as opposed to a huge scope coordinated studio like those tracked down in metropolitan areas.

Types of Persian Carpets

• Bakhtiari

In Iran’s Zagros Mountains, and villagers and nomads primarily produced antique Bakhtiari rugs. The example of Bakhtiari floor coverings is chiefly mathematical, once in a while semi-mathematical, and sometimes curvilinear. The designs are usually very dense, and bright colors like navy, deep reds, bright blues, greens, brown, and beige were often used. The garden Bakhtiari design is the most common, and it consists of square, rectangular, diamond, or hexagon compartments filled with floral designs like a vase, a bird perched on a branch, a cypress tree, a willow tree, or a grapevine.

• Bijar

The majority of Bijar rugs are made in the town of Bijar and the villages that surround it. Bijar is in the Kurdistan province in the northwest of Iran. Most people think of Bijar rugs as village rugs because they are made in homes rather than workshops, whether they are made in the town of Bijar or the villages around it. Because so many different designs were utilized, bijar carpets are typically identified by their weave rather than their design.

• Esfahan

Esfahan can be found in the west-central part of Iran. Rugs from Esfahan are well-known all over the world. Numerous mosques, palaces, and other magnificent monuments have been constructed in Esfahan since it served as the capital city of numerous rulers, including Shah Abbas of the Safavid Dynasty. This is especially true during the time that Shah Abbas ruled in the 16th and 17th centuries when Esfahan was a significant art center. Esfahan’s rug designs have been greatly influenced by these structures. Geometric medallions, trees with animals, and pictures of people and nature, sometimes based on Safavid miniatures, are some typical designs found in Esfahan rugs.