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Persian Rug Types Guide

Types of Persian Rugs

Abadeh Rugs

Abadeh Rug

Abadeh rugs feature designs very similar to Shiraz rugs, but can usually be distinguished by their cotton fringe ends. With designs inspired by Qashqai rugs, Abadehs generally feature tribal designs in red, blue and ivory colors schemes. Read more about Abadehs.

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Afshar Rugs

Afshar Rug

Typically featuring Tribal designs, Afshar rugs usually utilize red, rust, blue, brown, and ivory colors. They are woven by the Afshar tribe in Southeastern Iran. Older Afshars are typically smaller in size while more modern copies of this rug come in larger sizes. Read more about Afshars.

Ardebil Rugs

Ardebil Rug
With designs derived from Caucasian motifs, but usually woven on cotton foundations, Ardebil carpets are bold and beautiful with white, red, blue, green and yellow color schemes. Read more about Ardebils.

Bakhtiari Rugs

Bakhtiari Rug
Bakhtiari rugs can feature tribal designs, garden patterns, and bold colors. These rugs are woven by the Bakhtiari tribe. Antique Bakhtiari rugs were rarely woven for export and met the requirements for the tribes people themselves. Read more about Bakhtiaris.

Similar to Heriz rugs and Sultanabads, Bakshaish carpets often come in room-sizes and may feature a single medallion, all-over patterns such as the Herati, or geometricized designs.

Baluch Rugs

Baluch Rug
Woven by Baluch nomads in an area near the borders of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan these rugs feature tribal, geometric designs including prayer, medallions and all-over patterns. Read more about Baluch rugs.

Bibikabad Rugs

Bibikabad rug
Bibikabads generally have red or blue fields with ivory and green highlights. Large medallions surrounded by the all-over Herati pattern is one of the most common designs found in Bibikabad rugs.

Bidjar Rugs 

Bidjar Rug
Bidjar rugs, also known as the Iron Rug of Persia for their strong weave and strength to withstand heavy foot traffic. Read more about Bidjars.
Birjand rugs represent some of the finest quality Persian rugs made in Iran and feature super fine details attributed to their intricately woven patterns.
Often classified as a Hamedan, Borchelou rugs usually feature center medallions surrounded by an all-over design set in a field of red or ivory.

Often featuring a single row of stepped diamond-shaped medallions, Chenar rugs are also usually classified as Hamedan rugs.


Dergazine Rugs

Dergazine rug
Dergazine rugs typically feature floral motifs set in red or ivory fields with blue and pink highlights. They may have a central medallion. Read more about Dergazines.

Enjilas Rugs 

Enjilas rug runner
Woven in the Southern region of Hamedan, Enjilas rugs are usually woven with red, blue and ivory color schemes. Read more about Enjilas carpets.

Vintage Ferahan rugs represent some of the best constructed Iranian carpets with curvilinear designs and often featuring stylized floral motifs.

With wide borders and abstract designs highlighted with a bold color palette, Gabbeh rugs usually feature relatively basic patterns when compared to their Persian counterparts. Thick pile and a low knot count are typically found in Gabbeh rugs.

Named after a small village in the district of Heriz, Gorevans are a type of coarsely woven Heriz rug with a specific design.


Hamedan Rugs

Hamedan Rugs
Hamedan rugs are one of the most common types of Persian rugs. Featuring a very wide variety of designs, learn more about Hamedan rugs and shop our Hamedans for sale.

Heriz Rugs

Heriz rug
Often found in room-sizes Heriz rugs can feature large, bold central medallions, and all-over designs. Typically with predominantly red or ivory fields these carpets are highly desirable with designers. Read more about Heriz rugs.

Hussainabad Rugs

Hussainabad rugs
Similar to Enjilas rugs with a red, ivory and blue color scheme Hussainabad rugs utilize the Hamedan weave and often feature the Herati pattern. Read more about Hussainabad rugs.

Makers of what might be thought of as the quintessential Persian carpet, Isphahan weavers have been long known to produce sophisticated and refined pieces of art. Fine and sturdy, Isphahan rugs are desired among designers and collectors alike.


Josheghan Rugs

Joshaghan rug
Typically in red, blue or ivory Joshaghan rugs are usually wool woven on cotton and utilize a lattice-like design of geometric floral motifs in diamond shapes. Read more about Josheghans.

Jozan Rugs

Jozan rug
Jozan rugs are woven in the northwestern region of Iran. These rugs are durable, often featuring a center medallion with floral elements. Learn more about Jozans.

Kapoutrang Rugs

Kapoutrang rug
Once again, red, blue and ivory are the most popular color schemes for Kapoutrang rugs. These carpets often feature a central medallion surrounded by floral sprays. Learn more about Kapoutrang rugs.

Karaja Rugs 

Karaja Rug
Karaja rugs, also spelled Karadje and Garaje, are very similar in design to Heriz rugs. Often people mistake them for small Heriz rugs. They come in smaller sizes and usually have a softer color palette. Learn more about Karaja rugs.

Kashan Rugs 

Kashan rug
Kashans are the epitome of a traditional Persian rug. Fine weaves, red, blue and ivory color schemes, high quality wools and curvilinear patterns make these statement pieces pop. Learn more about Kashan rugs.

Also spelled Gazvin, Kazvin rugs come in all sizes but are most commonly found in room-sizes. Red, Blue and Ivory colors are typical. Soft wool is used for the pile and knots are usually tightly woven on cotton foundations. These rugs are usually thick and heavy.

Kirman Rug

Kerman rugs are named after their place of origin: the city of Kerman Iran. Ravar Kirmans, a special type of Kerman rug are highly desirable due to their rarity. Kerman rugs are usually wool woven on cotton foundations with fine weaves and may include floral motifs, curvilinear styling, and/or elaborate pictorial scenes.

Khamseh rugs are tribal rugs woven in Southern Iran by members of the Khamseh federation. Blues, Ivory, and Browns are commonly used in Khamseh rugs. 

Kurdistan Rug

A wide variety of rugs are woven in the Kurdistan villages of Iran. Generally they feature all wool materials, although some may also have goat hair or camel hair accents. Newer Senneh rugs have cotton foundations. Both Sennehs and Bidjars are woven in this area. Designs are typically tribal with no specific pattern, some may have a single medallion, multiple medallions or an all-over pattern.

Lilihan Rug

Lilihan rugs closely resemble Sarouks, although they are slightly more pliable. They normally feature wool woven on cotton foundations with tones of red, pink and blue. Floral designs are typical although other curvilinear arabesque patterns like the one pictured above can also be found.

Maslaghan rugs, nicknamed by their lightning bolt design feature sharp medallions often with red, orange and blue color schemes. Some of these rugs are also referred to as Melayers.

Melayer Rug

Melayer rugs are woven in the Hamedan province of Iran and feature tightly woven knots in the single-wefted Hamedan weave. All-over patterns are common in Melayers, these rugs come in a variety of sizes from small to very large. 

Nain rugs are very similar in design to Isphahan rugs although it was not until the 1930's that Nains came onto the market. Blues, Creams and Ivorys make up the color schemes while materials usually consist of wool woven on cotton foundations.

Sarouk Rugs are known for their striking color palettes of reds, roses and blues paired with intricate floral patterns. Most easily identified by the blue cotton weft used in the foundation, these rugs are usually strong and dense.

Shiraz rugs are known for their bold colors and tribal designs. Woven in Southwest Iran, Shiraz rugs typically have wool pile on wool foundation.

Tabriz rugs feature a variety of designs including center medallions, hunting designs, prayer rugs, and tree of life designs among others. Typically these rugs are wool on cotton, although some may employ silk.

Touserkan Rug

Yalameh rugs are one of the most colorful types of Persian rugs on the market. Yalamehs feature unique medallions with latch-hooks often arranged in a vertical row.