Persian Rugs

"Persian carpets are the symbols of poetical luxury," wrote famed Persian art historian Arthur Pope. Indeed, Persian rugs are recognized to be the paragons of the carpet-weaving art, and they've been so for 2,500 years. Even today, Persian rugs are unsurpassed for their quality, craftsmanship, and beauty.

History of Persian Rugs
Persian history, or in modern terms, Iranian history, is one of the oldest and richest in the world. Persian rugs have been a fundamental part of that artistic culture for thousands of years.

The earliest existing example of this art dates back to the 5th century B.C.E. In 1949, two Russian archaeologists discovered a Persian carpet in a frozen tomb 5,000 feet up a Siberian mountain range. Known as the Pazyryk carpet, this Persian rug can now be seen at the Hermitage Museum of Leningrad.

Persian carpets were considered to reach their artistic zenith during the Safavid Dynasty of the years 1502 to 1736 A.C.E. The artistic flourishing of that time in the areas of calligraphy, tile work, painting, and carpet weaving could be compared to the Italian Renaissance. About 1,500 Persian rugs from this period can be found today in museums and private collections.

Persian Rug Materials and Types
Wool and silk are the materials traditionally used to manufacture Persian rugs, though cotton, goat's hair, and camel's hair are also used. Silk Persian carpets are greatly prized because they are less durable and more expensive than woolen rugs.

Persian rugs are usually named for the city or region where they were manufactured. Each production center is known for a particular design or weaving technique. Important weaving centers include Kashan, Esfahan, and Shiraz.