Types and Origins of Oriental Rugs

A rug is named after the region, town or village where it's design originated. The level of sophistication of each pattern is directly related to the lifestyle, climate and culture in which it originates. For example, the more nomadic areas produce the vegetable dyed, more primitive carpets while the more developed areas weave the detailed, curvilinear designs.

Most of the names we use for handwoven carpets primarily originate from Persia, which is now Iran. Tabriz, Kerman, Mashad, Kashan, Nain, Bijar, Sarouk, Hamadan, Heriz, to name a few, are all examples of names of rugs sold today whose designs originate in the towns of the same name in Iran. Knowing the common design elements of a particular region is the secret to recognizing and naming types of rugs. In addition to sharing design elements, all Persian rugs -old or new- have weaving styles that are unique to the region in which they are woven. Today, China, India and Pakistan weave Persian designs, but without the unique knotting styles exclusive to the original Persian rugs of the same name. Therefore, while the design of a Tabriz woven in China will look quite similar to a Persian Tabriz, turning the carpet over and looking at the weave will provide the definitive answer as to the country it was woven in.

In the United States, the majority of hand made carpets available on the market for sale are woven in China, India, Pakistan and Iran. Occasionally, rugs are imported from Turkey, Morocco and Tibet.

See our In-Home Rug Gallery and Browse Our Collection sections for examples of the different types of rugs.