An artifact dating back thousands of years, yet present in the most modern decorations of our time.
And not just present, but living in a sense, and giving vibe to the place it goes to. For who can look at this masterpiece of thousands of knots without feeling the beauty it lends to its surroundings?
Whether you are travelling to Iran and want to know beforehand how to best appreciate this art, or you have just got interested in a Persian rug and want to know more about it, you have come to the right place.
Following, we will go through the history, variations, pricing factors, and maintenance tips of Persian rugs.
Persian Rugs History
For centuries, Persian rugs have been an indispensable part of Persian art, culture, and industry.
They have most probably evolved from basic floor coverings and were initially produced to protect housing against damp and cold weather, but rapidly acquired an artistic aspect.
Pazyryk Carpet
The production of the first rugs are estimated around 800 B.C., and the oldest existing rug is the Pazyryk carpet which was discovered in 1949 in Siberia.
This rug, which was woven around 5th century B.C. and protected from decay by the cold climate, is so elaborately designed and woven that suggests that the art of carpet-weaving had already reached a climax by that time.
Xenophon is the first historian who writes about Persian rugs and acclaims them as precious and worthy as a diplomatic gift.
With the rise of Safavid dynasty in 1499, Persian art including Persian rug saw one of its most brilliant periods.
Court manufacturers were established and royal embellishment demanded higher and more elaborate artistic forms.
This, in turn, led to an artistic elevation of Persian rugs. The distinction between the artist and the weaver took place at this time, and artists began communicating their ideas to weavers by means of templates and patterns.
Persian Rug Variations
Persian rugs have been produced in nomads, villages, and towns for different purposes and in different designs.
They were then brought to markets bearing the labels of their origin. Some of these regional labels gradually gained reputation because of their special quality and design.
There are now more than twenty types of Persian rugs which come from different regions and each hold different characteristics.
For example, nomadic rugs are usually rich with elaborations.
That is mainly because in the past, nomads mainly produced rugs for their own personal use and cared less about the commerciality of their products. What they cared about, instead, was the presence of tribal traditions in their designs.
However, nomadic carpet-weaving experienced a major decline as a result of Iran’s rapid industrialization in 20th century, and almost came to an end by 1970.
In recent years, however, a revival of nomadic traditions has resulted in a comeback for nomadic rugs and they are now fighting for their lost ground in market.
On the other hand, the villages and towns in different areas usually sent their products to a central city which became a capital market for the rugs produced in that area.
The central Iranian cities of Kashan, Isfahan, Nain and Qom together with Tabriz in the West, Kerman in the South, and Mashhad in the Northeast of Iran, are the main centers of town manufacture.
Source: www.persiansarenotarabs.com
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