How to Determine the Authenticity of a Persian Rug

Learn the basics. Persia is now modern Iran. The Persian Empire, however, was much larger and included part of Turkey, part of Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and more. As a result, some people consider rugs made in some of these other countries to be true Persian rugs. Iranians don't consider them to be authentic, though.

Real Persian rugs consist of cotton, silk or wool. Wool is most common, and silk rugs are the most expensive. They are either a flat weave or tufted, which results in a short, plush pile of one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch. They are always hand-knotted.

Look at the back and notice the rug's color and pattern. They should be as bright and distinct as they are on the front.

Look at the number of knots per square inch (KPSI) on the back of the rug. Persian rugs are typically tightly woven. It takes at least 150 knots per square inch for a rug to be considered acceptable. Anything less is poor quality. More than 250 knots per square inch is high quality. Two different types of knots exist, which can cause some counting confusion. Take a tape measure with you when shopping. Do not simply take the dealer's word for the knot count. You can find good instructions on counting knots on the Pak Persian Rugs website.

You may also notice a marker or tag indicating a country of origin. To be a true Persian rug, it must be from Iran. Rugs that are called "Oriental" rugs are not true Persian rugs. Those made in India, Pakistan or China, all of which now produce hand-knotted rugs with Iranian patterns, are not considered true Persian rugs.

Occasionally, you will find a signature. If so, it will usually be on the middle of one of the edges.

Look at the warp and weft. They will not be perfectly straight, as they are with machine-made rugs. They should look a bit wriggly.

Look at the whole rug for imperfections, such as slightly uneven color or bits of knots that weren't tied perfectly. If see these problems, you may not looking at a handmade rug of any kind, Persian or otherwise.