Isfahan Rugs form Iran/Persia

Isfahan, the capital of the province of the same name and the third largest city in Iran, has a long history of producing famous carpets. When the country was known as Persia, weaving in the city flourished during the Safavid period. The Safavid Dynasty is often considered the beginning of modern Persian history, establishing the Twelver school of Shi’a Islam as the official religion of Persia. From 1501 to 1722, the Safavid’s ruled Persia, controlling all of what is now Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Afghanastan, as well as parts of Iraq, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan. During their rule, Persian carpets from the region were considered high-quality and provided significant trade for the country.

History of Isfahan Rugs

Shah Abbas, who led the city, sometimes called Esfahan, believed that architecture, art and handicrafts were the key to the success of the area, and he was responsible for the creation of Emam Square, which includes the Emam mosque, considered the finest in the region. During this period, carpet artisans created rugs considered to be some of the finest in the world. Despite a decline after an Afghan invasion, the popularity of carpet weaving surged during the 1920s, as the artisans began producing Safavid designs. Today, Isfahan rugs are considered to be some of the finest Persian carpets in the world.

Recognizing an Isfahan Rug

An Isfahan rug normally has an ivory background with motifs that include colors of blue, rose and indigo. The designs are symmetrical and balanced, usually with vines or palmettos that surround a single medallion. The rugs are knotted on cotton or silk foundations, and the pile is of exceptionally good quality, such as Kurk wool. The pile is clipped very low, and the modern versions of the rugs more pastel. The rugs have an extremely high knot density, and the knots are what is known as a Sennah knot.

Typical Patterns

Traditional rugs from the region have patterns of medallions surrounded by palms or vines. Shah Abbas patterns include arabesque, palmettes and lotus motifs, and is a pattern developed during the rule of Shah Abbas. It is believed that the design is based on the famous Emam mosque. It is a common pattern in the region, although other countries, such as India, China and Pakistan copy the style. Rugs from Esfahan are often recognizable due to their delicate patterns and for the high concentration of knots that create the pattern in the rug. Other patterns common to the region include the Vase, Tree of Life and other pictorial designs.

Rug Quality

Although rug artisans in other areas, such as India, Turkey or Afghanistan produce quality rugs in similar styles, only Esfahan produces rugs in such high quality it is rare to find one that is defective. Persian carpets are an art form, and it is impossible to predict the lifespan of works of art, however, the estimate for how long an Isfahan rug will last is probably over 100 years with use. In addition, depending on how much traffic the rug sees, estimates are that the rug will remain in top condition for between 20 and 200 years. There are collectors who have the rugs in their possession that are several centuries old. One reason that these rugs last so long is that they are hand-knotted, keeping the wool from shedding as much as the fabric does when rugs are machine-knotted.

Purchasing a rug from the Isfahan region is an excellent investment. The rug artisans, just like their ancestors who performed the art centuries ago, create beautiful works of art that are hand-created and designed to last for centuries. The beauty and elegance of Isfahan rugs draws many decorators, art experts and collectors to the region in order to obtain a modern piece of history. The craft practiced today is very similar to the craft practiced in the region centuries ago, and the quality far surpasses that of any other region creating such carpets. For beauty and elegance that will last for centuries, consider a rug from Isfahan for your home or office.