Persian Rugs - What To Look For When Making A Purchase

Oriental carpets have been made for nearly 2500 years. Originally these were woven in Egypt and Asia. Weavers were highly skilled craftsmen. Persian rugs are the most prized. They are high quality with fine detail and therefore very valuable additions to your home. The Persian weaving uses a particular method done only by hand.

Over the centuries Persian rugs have been woven in Iran which was formerly known as Persia. These beautiful hand woven rugs are derived from a variety of materials such as wool, cotton or silk. Over the years there have been many places in Iran where Persian rug production has taken place; Tabriz, Kashan and Herat are three such places.

Symmetric patterns and a background of ivory, as well as blue and red coloring in the design, are characteristic of Tabriz rugs. These carpets are woven with illustrations of mythic stories. The knots per square inch will dictate their quality, and these can be anywhere from 75 to 110 knots per square inch. They are made either of cotton or of silk; the silk being more expensive and highly sought after.

The exquisite silk carpets of Kashan are well known. Patterns in these carpets can include flowers, leaves, wines and other motifs, and they often have one medallion in the center. Also featured in the carpets of Kashan are animal designs. The carpets of Kashan are some of the world's costliest, and also of the world's best quality. The standard sizes are usually 4 x 6 or 8 x 6.

Floral designs and patterns and intricate wines are woven into the fabric of Herat rugs. The colors they are crafted with are charming Persian carpets are all woven by hand using the same single knot technique. Nomadic tribes in Iran are the weavers of Baluch rugs. These rugs are created using rich colors such as red, ivory, and navy blue, and have been in creation for over 2500 years.

Shiraz rugs are made in Shiraz in central Iran and hare hand knotted and have geometric designs, animals or plants as designs. Red is the predominant color of these carpets. Wiss rugs are woven by tribes in the village of Wiss in Iran. Floral designs, wines, foliage and elements of garden are their primary designs.

Oriental rugs have been made for the longest time. They have dated back since the 5th century B.C. The first of these were made Asia and in Egypt and were woven by very talented weavers. Persian rugs for example are hand woven using a special technique thus they are exquisite, priceless and highly prized as a home decoration. The enchanting color schemes in the Persian carpets are hand woven with a single knot technique. The drifting tribes in Iran weave the unique Baluch rugs. For the past 2500 years the deep colors of navy blue, ivory and red have been used to weave life into these luxurious rugs.

- Tommy Thompson