Arabian Nights still Glitter through Persian Rugs

Persia, modern day Iran, is a land of mystique and folklore. People across the world are intrigued by the fascinating tales they have been told. The Djinns, supernatural incidents, flying carpets, the palatial palaces, the evil warlords, the sensuous women etc. have always been interests pursued actively by various scholars and connoisseurs across the world. It is no surprise Persian artifacts are bought extensively by shoppers. Persian Rugs for centuries have kept traditions alive. The quintessential Persia carpet still at times makes people believe the moment they hop onto it, it may start flying. That may only be possible in fairytales, one thing that is still there is the beauty they ooze. The Afshar Persian Rugs are woven by nomads and villagers living in the Southeastern Iranian Cities of Kerman, Shiraz and Yazd. With mostly geometric patterns, the carpets come in varying shapes like the diamond shape, single medallions, hexagon and octagon, hue hexagon, gul firangi, botehs, chicken like motifs etc. rnThe Ardabil is a Persian Rug with enhanced motif borders and extensive objects woven in them. They come in smaller sizes like the zar-o-nim, pardeh etc. Bidjar Persian Rugs are village rugs woven inside homes rather than in shops. Their pattern is a combination of curvilinear and geometric. The Herati Medallion and Corner is a signature type in this line. Other designs include Boteh, Mina Khani, Zell-i-Sultan and Gul Firangi. rnThe Ferahan Persian Rugs come in two different types. One has an all over layout, en endless repeat, motifs and designs like herati, gul hannai, mani kahni etc. The other type has a medallion layout. The medallions can be hug hexagonal layouts, diamonds, oval shapes and large pendants. The Isfahan Persian Rug is designed like a round medallion to resemble tile work done inside the interiors of a dome. rnJoshaghan Rugs get woven on cotton foundations with wood pile and Persian asymmetrical knots. The signature design in them comprises of geometrical floral motifs arranged in the shape of diamonds. Kerman carpets have a curvilinear shape, with quintessential Kerman pictorials on them. Their intricate designs often resemble caricatures. Lavar Mats have flowers plastered all over them. Mashads are home based looms woven with asymmetrical knots. They are famous for their elongated corners. rnNain Mats are famous for being swiftly woven. They have detailed curvilinear designs. They have a striking similarity to Esfahan mats. Just that one gets to see more of bird motifs in Nains. The motifs in Qum Mats are famous for compartments with vases, pictorials, hunting scenes, botehs etc. Sarabs have geometric patterns, predominant long medallion layouts. rnSarouks come in Traditional and American types. The traditional ones have herati and gul hannai motifs and the American Style Sarouks are known more for disconnected floral sprays. The color body has red, blue, burnt orange, ocher, champagne etc. rnTabriz pieces have shah abbassi medallion corners and islimi medallion corners on them. The palettes on them are as diverse as the designs on them. They are usually given a finishing with a silk foundation and wool pile. Colors used on the background and borders include pink, peach, camel, beige, ivory etc. rnSomewhere in these masterpieces, the Persia of old times still resides.