About Persian Carpets

History of Persian Carpets

• It isn't clear in what part of the world rug-making originated, but its history in Persia probably goes back to the time when the region was known as Babylon. It developed during the time Persia was ruled by a host of conquerors, including the Turks and the Mongols, and flourished during the reign of the Safavid rulers between the 16th and 18th centuries. De-empasized after the Afghan invasion in 1722, carpet-making regained its importance during the 19th century under the Qajar rulers, when merchants from Tabriz began to market them internationally. Carpet-making is currently the most important handicraft in Iran.

Characteristics

• Persian carpet weavers have traditionally used wool, silk and camel hair. They shear the preferred wool, called "kush," from the belly of the sheep in springtime. The traditional Persian knot is a single hook around the warp thread, as opposed to the Turkish knot, which is double. Weavers have traditionally made dyes from vegetable sources such as roots, leaves, flower and bark, animal products and even insects. Modern weavers also employ chemical dyes to produce vibrant and varying hues, but the traditional dyes are still preferred, because they look less artificial and fade better.

Design Variations

• Appraisers often identify Persian rugs from the region from which they originate, some of the better known of which are Tabriz, Isfahan, Nain, Kashan, Kerman and Shiraz. Design variations occur within each region, owing to ages-old weaving traditions among local tribes or local communities. For example, the variety of carpets coming from the Hamadan region in western Iran, near the Iraqi border, include Borchelu, Enjelas, Kabutar and Maslaghan. Although the designs of each region are distinctive, similarities are common because the tribespeople have been nomadic and have influenced each other throughout the course of history.

Appraising a Persian Carpet

• The age and condition of a Persian carpet are important determinants of its quality, but appraisers consider other factors as well. The intricacy of its design, governed by the number of knots per square inch in its weaving pattern, makes the difference between a common tribal rug and a collector's item. The best rug-makers are artists. They use the best-quality textiles and dyes, and sometimes weave their signature into their work. An old, fine rug does not have to be in perfect condition to be valuable. Signs of repair usually signify that the rug was worth restoring, and usually also place it as an antique.