How to Identify Persian Carpets

Carpet is hand made. Authentic Persian carpets are not machine made. The threads of hand made carpets are knotted to the base. Machines cannot tie knots. Only humans can.

Is is made of wool? Sometimes, the base threads of Persian carpets are made of cotton but never synthetics.

Look for use of natural dyes. These produce the rich, deep colors that Persian carpets are known for. Natural dyes do not run when they get wet; synthetic dyes do.

Look for curved designs--they are much more difficult than geometric ones. Authentic Persian carpets are made by traditional artisans who turn out designs that are works of art, not designs that are economical to produce.

Is the design named after a tribe or the geographical origin of carpet? Specific authentic designs are only made by certain tribes or in certain areas.

Is it made of a design that includes a number of motifs or one central motif? Motif designs can indicate the geographical area in which the rug was made.

Look for a high number of knots per square inch. The higher the number of knots per square inch, the thicker the pile and the more luxurious the feel of the rug. The pattern also appears more intricate because there are more threads, creating more detail.

Is it tied with a "Persian" knot? The yarn is wrapped around one warp, rather than the more common two warps. This produces only one loop, which results in a finer rug and a less blocky look to the pattern.