Authentic Persian Koliai Tribal Rug in 3'3 x 4'9 With Unusually Thick High Quality Wool

This is a genuine hand-knotted Persian Koliai tribal rug measuring 3'3" x 4'9", woven by Kurdish weavers in the Koliai region of western Iran. What makes this particular Koliai stand out is the wool. Most tribal rugs in this category are made with serviceable village wool, but this piece was woven with an unusually thick, dense, and high quality wool pile that is closer in feel to a Bijar than to a typical Kurdish tribal weave. You can see and feel the difference immediately in the thickness closeup photograph where the pile stands tall between the fingers. The result is a rug that reads as tribal in design but performs like a much higher tier piece. It is in excellent condition and has never been used.

Classic Koliai Composition With a Bold Floral Medallion and Herati Field

The layout follows the most beloved Koliai tradition. A bold central medallion anchors the field, drawn as a rounded floral rosette in ivory, brown, and navy with a small eight pointed star of red, pink, and blue at its core. Surrounding the medallion, the field is filled with an allover Herati or Mahi pattern, the classic paired fish-leaf motif that Kurdish weavers adopted from the Bijar and Hamadan traditions. Ivory pendants extend from the top and bottom of the medallion, and large ivory floral spandrels frame each of the four corners. The main border is filled with a stately procession of rosettes and leafy vines on an ivory ground, flanked by narrow guard bands with braided and geometric fillers. Everything about the drawing is immediately recognizable as Koliai.

A Rich Red Field With Ivory, Navy, Pink, and Green Accents

The color story is warm, traditional, and full of life. The main field is a deep saturated red that sits between ruby and crimson, with a slight cherry undertone where the light catches the thick pile. Against this red, the ivory of the medallion, the spandrels, and the main border provides strong contrast and makes the drawing pop. Navy and indigo outline the major motifs and fill smaller geometric elements throughout the field. Look closely and you will find unexpected accents of soft pink, forest green, warm brown, burgundy, and touches of light blue threaded through the Herati fish motifs and the floral border. The palette is confident and tribal, perfect for entryways, foyers, kitchens, bedsides, reading nooks, small dining spaces, and any room that needs a grounding dose of warm color.

Koliai Weaving, Kurdish Craftsmanship, and Why This Wool Matters

The Koliai tribe is part of the greater Kurdish weaving tradition in western Iran, working out of villages in the Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces not far from the city of Bijar itself. Koliai rugs are hand-knotted on a 100% cotton foundation using the symmetrical Turkish knot, and they are beaten down firmly on the loom to produce a durable, heavy rug built to last for generations of household use. What is unusual about this particular piece is the grade of wool. The weaver used a thicker, denser, higher quality wool than you typically see in Koliai production, and the finished pile reflects it. The rug has weight in the hand, the pile rebounds when pressed, and the back shows tight even knotting with no thin spots. For a buyer who wants an authentic tribal Persian rug but refuses to compromise on wool quality, this Koliai delivers both.