Hand-Made Persian Rugs

Iranian or Persian?

• The terms "Persian rug" and "Iranian rug" are interchangeable. That is because these types of rugs originated and existed as a tradition in the ancient Persian Empire for thousands of years. However, that empire was defeated in 1722 by the Afghan invasion. Where Persia once was, Iran stands in the 21st century. Many of the ancient Persian designs and techniques survived and are still being used to weave carpets in the modern era.

Hand Made Versus Machine Made

• With the advent of industrial machinery, Persian rugs began to be produced mechanically instead of by hand. Hand-knotted rugs often take years to complete, while manufactured rugs can be turned out in hours. Machine-made rugs usually use synthetic dyes and short-cut weaving techniques, while hand-knotted rugs utilize ancient weaving techniques and their dyes are made from vegetables or other natural sources. If woven by an experienced craftsperson, hand-knotted Persian rugs are considerably more valuable than their manufactured counterparts. However, Persian rugs are not manufactured solely in the geographical region of ancient Persia; in the 21st century, they are also produced in Iran, India, Pakistan, China and Europe.

Distinguishing Characteristics

• Persian rugs feature wide borders that highlight the main rug pattern. They are also the only ancient woven rugs to master curvilinear designs -- or designs that follow a curve. Geometric designs are more common in carpet weaving because they are much simpler to achieve.

Persian Rugs in the Safavid Dynasty

• Persian rug quality and beauty reached its highest point during the Safavid Dynasty, which reigned between 1499 and 1722, according to American University in Washington, D.C. The empire created royal workshops in which top artists were employed to design the rugs and master weavers employed to produce them. These designs often integrated the traditional high-quality wool usually used to make the rugs with silk, silver and gold threads. One of the highest valued hand-woven rugs in the world is the Ardebil Carpet, created during the Safavid Dynasty and, as of 2011, held in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum.