Mashad Rugs from Iran/Persia

Rugs and carpets from the city of Mashad, located in the northeast part of Iran, are of the highest quality, are produced with some of the best and softest wool pile in Iran, and are among the most attractive looking in the world. Mashad is one of the oldest centers for the extensive weaving of the famous Persian Rugs, which are the most popular and sought after all over the globe. Carpet exportation from Mashad began as early as 1555, and some rare pieces have found their way to various museums.

The Perez Topkapi prayer rug, which was woven somewhere between 1550 and 1556, is believed to have been created in Mashhad. Sa'dabad Palace in northern Tehran and the Niavaran Palace were also furnished with carpets from the Amoghli plant.

The most delicate carpet in the Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran is a 396x266 square centimeter 120-row carpet that was produced in the early 14th century in Mashhad. The carpet was transferred from Sa'dabad Palace to the museum. The museum has fascinating architecture and a facade resembling a carpet-weaving loom.

These fabulous and famous rugs and carpets are usually curvilinear with a single medallion in the center, floral motifs in the background and floral designs in the corners. Bright blue, dark red and khaki are the main colors.

Most Mashad Rugs are large, although it is possible to find designs of any size and shape. The most popular sizes are seven by ten feet, ten by thirteen feet and eight by twelve feet. However, you can find rugs ranging from a small two by three foot mat, runners for corridors and hallways from five to thirty feet long, up to carpets the size of a city block.

Patterns have a wide range and can include flowers, vases, intertwined fish, stripes, geometric designs, spirals, paisley, tribal designs, trees, hunting grounds and many more.

Persian rugs are categorized by quality first and design second. Quality refers mainly to the knotting of the rug. Knot counts normally range between 120-475 KPSI. The higher the knot count, the higher the quality and the price. Other grading factors are the accuracy and symmetry throughout the design, the quality of the wool or silk and the dyes used. The wool from Khofasan is recognized by its unique softness, and the pile is thin and tight. Normally on a cotton foundation, the wool pile used in Mashad rugs is among the very best in Iran.

There are two types of rugs made in Iran: city rugs and tribal rugs. Tribal rugs are woven by nomads and inhabitants of small villages. These rugs are sometimes inferior in quality to the ones made in the cities; however, the materials are often of excellent quality, and the dyes used in tribal rugs are natural superior vegetable dyes. Every village, city or tribe has their own design incorporated into their rugs, like a trademark.

A Mashad rug or carpet will continue to last a very long time, will give extremely attractive life to a room with its bright colors and intricate and lovely designs, and will become a prized possession.