What Is a Persian Rug?

History

• Carpet weaving techniques are recognized as first being brought about in 529 B.C. by Cyrus the Great, who was the ruler of the Persian empire at the time. Many scholars, such as My Hanh Hoang of the American University, believe that the Persian rug industry reached its peak around 1499 through 1722 (the Safavid Dynasty). This is the time frame in which the highest quality of artistic development and weaving techniques existed. Unfortunately, carpet weaving would die down significantly after this time frame, with poorer quality rugs being produced. However, Persian rugs would again begin to flourish around the end of the 19th century and into today.

Materials

• The material used in a Persian rug varied based on what the customer could afford. Traditionally, Persian rugs were constructed using cotton from nearby fields or wool from herds of sheep. Though cotton and wool were most common and readily available, it was not unusual for wealthier members of society to have Persian rugs woven from silk. However, knot count was just as important as the material. A higher knot count meant a higher quality rug, so a combination of the two, such as a silk rug with 1,000 knots per square inch, would hold significant value.

Significance

• In the Persian culture, carpet weaving skills were passed on from generation to generation. For nomadic tribes and illiterate tribes, a rug might contain information such as aspirations and goals, happy occasions such as a birth, setbacks or the wealth of a person or tribe. Simply looking at the rug, for many tribes, told a story of the people who had worked hard to weave the rug.

Famous Persian Rugs

• Due to the materials, few Persian rugs survived throughout the years. The oldest known example is the Pazyryk rug from the fifth century, B.C.. This particular example is currently located at Leningrad's Hermitage Museum. Another example is located at the Louvre Museum, known simply as "Carpet with Animals," this particular silk Persian rug dates back to the 16th century and features a rare indigo blue dye in the design.