A Persian rug is not only a home decoration, it is a functional work of art. Although many modern Persian rugs are made by machine, you can still find high quality hand-made rugs today. Before shopping for a Persian rug, you need to understand what it is and what it is not.
First, there is often considerable confusion between Oriental rugs and Persian rugs. Oriental Rugs are handmade rugs that come from a wide geographic region that extends from Turkey in the west to China in the east. It encompasses the Persian region. So while Persian rugs are also Oriental Rugs, not all Oriental rugs are Persian rugs.
The Persian rug is an essential part of Persian art and culture. Carpet-weaving is one of the most distinguished manifestations of Persian culture and art, and dates back to the Bronze Age.
A well crafted Persian rug can last centuries. The earliest surviving Persian rugs come from the 16th century, attesting to their durability. However, painted depictions prove a longer history of production. There is much variety among classical Persian carpets of the 16th and 17th century. Common motifs include scrolling vine networks, arabeques, cloud bands,...