Antique Persian Rugs

Hand Knotted Rugs, Handmade Rugs, Wool Area Rugs & More...

Rug-making is a practical and ancient art that is believed to have originated among the nomadic tribes that roamed Central Asia.  One theory is that animal hair such as camel, goat, and sheep was used to create textile floor coverings rather than using the entire hide, which would mean slaughtering valuable livestock animals. There are others who argue that the degree of artistic expression found in early examples of handmade rugs is more indicative of a culture who has found prosperity and has settled into a single location rather than continually roaming. In any case, rug-making flourished and evolved, and today stands as both an important home furnishing and a beautiful form of art.

The oldest of the ancient hand knotted rugs found is known as the Pazyryk Carpet, and is believe to date back to around the 5th century BC. This antique rug was found in a Siberian burial chamber in an excavation in 1949. Due to being frozen in the permafrost for centuries, the Pazyryk Carpet was remarkably well preserved considering its age and is a beautiful example of the design as well as the techniques of the period. The method of knotting used in this carpet is one that is still in use today, and fine details indicate a long tradition in the craft.

Rug making is considered by many to have reached its pinnacle in Persia in the 16th and 17th centuries, under the reign of the Safavid dynasty. One of the most well-known examples of Persian carpets, known as the Ardebil, dates from this period. The Ardebil was originally a pair of rugs that were brought to England in the year 1893. The rugs were in poor condition, but by using one rug to repair the other, they were able to create a beautiful example of the work from this period.

Oriental & Persian Rugs