Sultanabad Rugs

Sultanabad rugs take their name from the old name of Arak, the Iranian city whose surrounding villages wove large, decorative carpets for Western homes from the 1870s. Their hallmarks are big, widely spaced palmettes and vines, open all-over or medallion layouts and soft colors. Our collection brings together Sultanabad and Mahal designs, most of them hand-knotted room-size rugs, woven mainly in India and Pakistan, with some from Turkey and Egypt. See Mahal and Sultanabad Rugs in our Rug Encyclopedia.

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Pak Persian

Pakistani Chobi Rug 11x13, Mahal Sultanabad Carpet

$6,500.00
Indo Persian

Indo Persian Sultanabad Rug 8x9, Allover Lattice Design

$2,600.00
Pakistani

Pak Persian Peshawar Rug 8x10, Sultanabad Wool Carpet, Burnt Orange, Hand Knotted

$3,800.00
Indo Persian

Indo Persian Mahal Rug 8x10, Sultanabad Carpet, Tan, Wool

$2,750.00
Indo Persian

Indo Persian Mahal Rug 8x10, Sultanabad Carpet, Olive Green, Handmade

$3,000.00
Indo Persian

Indo Persian Mahal Rug 9x12, Red, Allover Pattern, Sultanabad Carpet, Traditional Wool Rug, Red

$3,400.00
Azerbaijani

Persian Sultanabad Rug 8x10, Coral and Blue, Allover Pattern, Mahal Carpet, Wool

$4,400.00
Indo Persian

Indian Sultanabad Rug 8x10, Indo Persian Mahal Rug, Light Mint Green and Brown

$3,600.00
Indian

Indian Sultanabad Soumak Kilim 9x11, Hand-Woven Wool Light Yellow Carpet

$2,950.00
Egyptian

Egyptian Rug 9x12, Mahal Sultanabad Carpet, Handmade Wool Rug, Oatmeal Color

$2,950.00
Indian

Indian Mahal Rug 8x10, Room Sized Wool Handmade Vintage Carpet, Red and Black, Floral, Flatweave Mahal Sultanabad Rug

$1,950.00
Pak Persian

Pak Persian Rug 8x10, Pakistani Mahal Sultanabad Carpet, Signature from Master Weaver, Shiny Wool, Black Red Vintage Handmade Medallion Rug

$3,200.00
Indian

Indo Persian Rug 9x12, Sultanabad Indian Carpet, Dark Brown, Hand Knotted Vintage Wool Rug

$2,900.00
Pak Persian

Pak Persian Rug 10x14, Sultanabad Mahal Peshawar Chobi Carpet, Large Vintage Wool Oriental Rug, Maroon & Beige, Floral Allover, Handmade

$3,799.00
Indo Persian Mahal

Indo Mahal Sultanabad Rug 8x11, Vintage Indian Oriental Carpet, Wool Handmade Floral Rug 8 x 11 ft, Black Beige Tan, Large Flowers Allover

$2,399.00
Indo Persian

Vintage Indian Rug 9x12, Sultanabad Area Rug 9 x 12, Wool Hand Knotted Living Room Oriental Carpet, Eggplant and Khaki Color, Teawashed Rug

$2,599.00
Pakistani

Peshawar Rug 9.5 x 10.8, Almost Square Size, Red and Beige Chobi Sultanabad Rug, Shah Abbas Flowers, Wool Handmade, Vintage Oriental Carpet

$2,569.00
Pak Persian

6x9 Vintage Decorative Rug, Brown & Light Gold Peshawar Area Rug, Mahal Sultanabad Hand-Knotted Farmhouse Rug, Wool Carpet, Pak-Persian Rug

$1,939.00
Indian

Indo Mahal Rug 8x12, Indian Sultanabad Handmade Area Rug, Vintage Hand-Knotted Wool Black Floral Traditional Oriental Dinning Room Rug

$2,425.00
Karastan

Karastan Rug 8.8 x 10.6, Chahar Mahal Sultanabad #608, Wool Karastan Carpet

$2,800.00

What Is a Sultanabad Rug?

Sultanabad was the name of Arak, in west-central Iran, until the 1930s. In the late 19th century it became one of the great rug markets of Persia. Trading firms, the best known being Ziegler & Co. of Manchester, organized weaving in the surrounding villages and supplied designs made for European and American rooms. The result was a new kind of rug: large, relaxed and decorative, with a softer palette than most Persian rugs of the time.

The Sultanabad look

  • Large-scale florals: oversized palmettes, rosettes and leafy vines, drawn with plenty of space around them.
  • Open layouts: an all-over pattern across the whole field, or a loose medallion floating on it.
  • Soft colors: rose, brick red, ivory, sage green, light blue, gold and charcoal, often mellowed by age or a gentle wash.
  • Generous sizes: most are room-size rugs, from about 8 × 10 to 10 × 14 feet and larger.

Sultanabad, Mahal and Ziegler

The names overlap. Mahal is a trade name for the same region's village rugs, usually a little coarser, and dealers often use the two names together. "Ziegler" refers to the designs commissioned by Ziegler & Co., and antique "Ziegler Sultanabads" are among the most sought-after decorative carpets today. Sarouks come from the same area but are more finely knotted, with smaller, denser florals and stronger reds.

Where our Sultanabad rugs are woven

Because the design is so popular, it has been woven far beyond Arak. In this collection you will find:

Decorating with a Sultanabad rug

The large, open pattern and quiet colors make a Sultanabad easy to place. It anchors a living room or dining room without overwhelming it, and it suits traditional, transitional and modern rooms alike. Size it so the front legs of the main furniture rest on the rug, and leave 12 to 18 inches of floor around the edges. See Choosing the Right Rug Size.

For the full story, see Mahal and Sultanabad Rugs in our Rug Encyclopedia.

More Oriental Rugs

View all 1049 →

Silk Persian Qum Short Runner Rug 2x5, Hand Knotted, Fine 400 KPSI, Birds, Signed

$2,900.00

Persian Shiraz Fars Kilim Rug 4x7, Tribal, Animal Pictorials, Birds Rams, Unique

$1,990.00

Indo Persian Sarouk Rug 6x9, Floral Allover, Black, Finely Hand Knotted

$2,850.00

Pak Persian Runner Rug 2' 7" x 22' 6", Long Runner

$5,800.00

Shop Persian Mahal Rugs

View all 1 →

Persian Mahal Sarouk Runner 2' 8" x 12' 4", Signed by Master Weaver

$2,400.00

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Learn more in the Rug Encyclopedia

Explore the Rug Encyclopedia →
Mahal and Sultanabad Rugs

Mahal and Sultanabad Rugs

Large decorative rugs from the Arak region of west-central Iran, with bold, open designs and soft colors, including the famous ... Chobi and Ziegler-Style Rugs

Chobi and Ziegler-Style Rugs

Softly colored rugs woven in Afghanistan and Pakistan with hand-spun wool and natural dyes, in large-scale Ziegler, Oushak and ... Indo-Persian, Sino-Persian and Pak-Persian Rugs

Indo-Persian, Sino-Persian and Pak-Persian Rugs

Hand-knotted rugs woven in India, China and Pakistan in traditional Persian designs. What the names mean, how the rugs differ f...

Sultanabad Rugs FAQs

What is a Sultanabad rug?

A Sultanabad rug has the large-scale floral design first woven in the villages around Sultanabad, today the city of Arak in Iran, for Western buyers from the 1870s. It is known for big palmettes and vines, an open layout and soft colors. The design is now also woven in India, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt. See Mahal and Sultanabad Rugs.

Where is Sultanabad?

Sultanabad is the former name of Arak, a city in west-central Iran. It was renamed in the 1930s. The region also gave its name to Mahal and Sarouk rugs.

What is the difference between Sultanabad and Mahal rugs?

Very little. Both come from the Arak region and share large, open floral designs. Mahal usually describes a slightly coarser grade, and many dealers use the names together, as in "Mahal Sultanabad." Sarouks from the same region are finer, with smaller, denser designs. See Persian Mahal rugs.

What is a Ziegler Sultanabad?

Ziegler & Co., a Manchester firm, commissioned rugs around Sultanabad in the late 19th century with designs adapted to Western rooms: oversized palmettes and vines in soft colors. These "Ziegler Sultanabads" are highly prized, and their designs are widely reproduced today, especially in Pakistani Chobi rugs. See Chobi and Ziegler-Style Rugs.

Where are Sultanabad rugs made today?

The design began in the villages around Arak in Iran. Today it is also woven in India, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, where weavers reproduce the large palmettes, vines and soft colors of the original rugs. See Indo-Persian, Sino-Persian and Pak-Persian Rugs.

What sizes do Sultanabad rugs come in?

Most are room sizes, from about 8 × 10 to 10 × 14 feet, with some oversized and smaller pieces. Their large-scale designs need space to show well, which is why they are rarely woven very small. See large rugs and oversized rugs.

Have another question? Contact us or call (856) 345-9444.