Interesting Facts About Persian Carpets

Carpet weaving is one of the mainstays of Iran’s economy. It is most famous for the hand woven carpets but these days even machine made ones are being made in large varieties. This is not only an industry but also an art form in its own right; in 2008 alone Iran’s export of the hand woven carpets occupied 30% of the world market and amounted to $ 420 million. Approximately 1.2 million are directly or indirectly linked to this industry, however in the present times it’s facing a threat from the machine made varieties, both from Iran and other countries which copy the same designs.

Iran is also the world’s largest exporter of the hand made variety of carpets. The handmade carpets specially ones with the intricate Persian patterns and designs are more expensive than the machine made ones, they take longer to make and are also artistic masterpieces, you will rarely ever find two carpets with same pattern, however the artisans and weavers who actually make these are rarely ever recognized for their efforts.

In 2007 National Iranian Carpet Center declared that carpet exports were highest in the country’s non-oil exports and nearly 5 million people were involved. Primarily all the carpets are made from wool, other materials include silk and cotton and these are used for the foundation of city and workshop carpets. The type of wool also varies; major ones include Kork wool, Manchester wool and Camel Hair wool. Silk carpets are also produced, but because of their lustrous look and high expense they are mostly reduced to work as wall tapestries, if used as a carpets these do not wear out as much as the other varieties.

The designs of the Persian rugs are very intricate and colorful. After much study the basic designs which adorn the Persian carpets have been divided into the following categories: historic monuments and Islamic buildings, Shah Abbassi patterns, spiral patterns, all-over patterns, derivative patterns, interconnected patterns, paisley patterns, tree patterns, Turkoman patterns, hunting ground patterns, panel patterns, European flower patterns, vase patterns, intertwined fish patterns, Mehrab patterns, striped patterns, geometric patterns, tribal patterns, and composites. Each design is specific to a particular area and these are like heirloom passed from one generation to another. These days even computers have been put to use to help out with the designing. The process of making a hand woven carpet can last from a few weeks to years and basically depends on the type or carpet and the size. Two basic types of knots which are used in these carpets are symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes knot and asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot.