Persian rugs are named after the city, village area or tribe that weaves them, and there are dozens of types. The easiest way to understand them is to group them by weaving tradition: fine city rugs woven in workshops from a designer's plan, bolder village rugs woven at home from memory, and tribal rugs woven by nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples. This guide lists the main types in each group, with a link to the full entry for each.
| City rugs | Fine, curvilinear, woven from a designer's plan |
|---|---|
| Village rugs | Bold, sturdy, often geometric, woven from memory |
| Tribal rugs | Geometric and expressive, usually on a wool foundation |
| How named | After the city, area or tribe where they are woven |
Persian city rugs
Woven in workshops by professional weavers following a drawn plan, city rugs are the most finely knotted Persian rugs, with flowing floral designs. See Persian City Rugs.
| Type | Known for |
|---|---|
| Tabriz | Great variety of designs, from medallions to pictorials; graded in raj |
| Kashan | Formal medallion rugs, often red and navy |
| Isfahan | Very fine wool and silk rugs with elegant medallions |
| Nain | Ivory and blue designs with silk highlights |
| Qum (Qom) | Fine silk rugs in many designs |
| Kerman (Kirman) | Graceful florals and a broad palette, including the Lavar (Ravar) Kerman |
| Mashad | Large rugs in deep reds with big medallions |
| Tehran | Refined workshop rugs of the early 20th century |
| Kashmar | Dense, detailed workshop rugs from northeast Iran |
| Veramin | Allover Mina Khani designs on dark grounds |
| Yazd | Kerman-style workshop rugs from central Iran, often with large medallions |
Persian village rugs
Woven at home, often from memory, village rugs are bolder and sturdier, and many are geometric. See Persian Village Rugs.
| Type | Known for |
|---|---|
| Heriz | Large geometric medallions and great durability; the finest older pieces are called Serapi |
| Karajeh | Runners and small rugs with rows of geometric medallions |
| Ardabil | Geometric rugs close to Caucasian designs |
| Sarab | Camel-colored grounds and long runners |
| Bidjar | Extremely dense, heavy weave: the "iron rugs of Persia" |
| Senneh | Very fine Kurdish rugs and kilims with small repeating motifs |
| Hamadan | Sturdy, affordable rugs from hundreds of villages |
| Sarouk | Deep red floral rugs, including the "American Sarouk" |
| Farahan Sarouk | Older Sarouks with soft colors and graceful medallions |
| Mahal and Sultanabad | Large, softly colored rugs with spacious designs |
| Malayer | Village rugs between Hamadan and Sarouk in style |
| Abadeh | Qashqai-style designs with a central diamond medallion |
| Qazvin | Fine, Sarouk-like floral rugs from northwest of Tehran |
| Seraband | Allover designs of small boteh (paisley) motifs, often on red |
Persian tribal rugs
Woven by nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples, often on horizontal ground looms and wool foundations, tribal rugs are geometric, personal and full of symbols. See Persian Tribal Rugs.
| Type | Known for |
|---|---|
| Qashqai | Finely woven tribal rugs from Fars, with animals and medallions |
| Shiraz | The market name for tribal rugs sold in Shiraz |
| Khamseh | Rugs of the Khamseh confederacy of Fars, often with bird motifs |
| Bakhtiari | Garden designs divided into compartments |
| Afshar | Small rugs with lively geometric and floral designs |
| Yalameh | Bright, bold rugs with stepped diamond medallions |
| Baluch | Dark, rich colors and prayer designs from eastern Iran |
| Gabbeh | Thick, simple, modern-looking rugs from the Zagros |
| Kurdish | Bold geometric rugs, including Kolyai rugs |
| Persian Turkoman | Gul designs on red, woven in northeast Iran |
Choosing among them
If you love refined, flowing designs, start with the city rugs. If you want a sturdy rug with bold character for a busy room, look at the village rugs. If you are drawn to color, symbols and a handmade, personal feel, explore the tribal rugs. For the differences in detail, see City, Village and Tribal Rugs and How to Buy a Persian Rug.
