Afshar: Afshar is the name of a nomadic tribe populating areas in South Iran around Kerman near Shiraz. The distinctive rugs have a wool foundation that are loomed in geometric and floral motifs.

Agra: A large city and weaving district in North Central India that has been prolific in producing tightly knotted, decorative, floral rugs. The rug sizes ranged from 4' x 6' up to palace size pieces. These design motifs have been handed down from generation to generation and these famous old patterns are highly reproduced today.

Baktihari: A town south of Isfahan associated with large and smaller rugs with generally dark colors: red, green, brown, with highlights in yellows and vivid blues.

Bijar: A town in northwest Iran that produced extremely tightly knotted rugs. Bijar rugs are extremely strong and long lasting.

Caucasian: The Caucasus region which is a mountainous region ranging from 12,000 to 18,000 ft. above sea level. The tribal weavers used narrow looms that could be transported with the change in season. The rugs have a wool foundation with geometric designs.

Dhurrie: A pileless carpet, usually woven in India with either cotton or wool. the design is created by interweaving colored weft threads through warp threads.

Hamadan: A major center of exports from the surrounding weaving areas. Generally small rugs with a firm texture and subdued colorations.

Heriz: A large weaving district in Northwest Iran. Fine wools were used in this region. Many Heriz rug have center medallions with corner insets within the field. Fine over-all designs also come from this area.

Hooked: A hooked rug is a cross between a needlepoint and a pile rug. the weaver starts with a piece of burlap fabric and sews the design through the material, leaving a short loop on the finished side. By varying the height of the loops, a sculptured effect can be produced.

Isfahan: Situated virtually in the center of Iran, once the capital city. These finely knotted rugs are woven in the city itself and in the surrounding villages. These greatly respected rugs generally have a rounded medallion with a floral motif.

Joshagan: A weaving area in central Iran that produced rugs generally smaller than 9' x 12'. Usually a Joshagan rug has a deep blue field with dark red and ivory center medallion and corner insets within the field.

Karaja: A village near the Heriz weaving district famous for small rugs generally inspired by Caucasian geometric patterns. Karajas usually have three medallions and the runners have a series of medallions.

Kashan: A town in central Iran associated with highly respected exceptionally finely woven rugs with floral motifs.

Kazak: One main tribe dwelling in the Caucasus mountains. The rugs are well known for their geometric bold designs and colors.

Kerman: This city is situated in Southeast Iran and it's surrounded by rug providing villages. The knotted rugs are usually pastel in color.

Kilim (Persian form gelim): Flat woven rug, in plain-weave technique. Also used to describe the 'kilim'-ends of pile rug.

Kurdish: The Kurds are nomadic tribes in Northern Iran around the Turkish border. The rugs were knotted on narrow looms with a wool foundation. They are heavily influenced by the Caucasian rugs and are generally geometric.

Lillihan: Lillihan rugs were produced in Central Iran near the Arak weaving district. The designs are mainly floral executed in beautiful shades of reds and blues.

Mahal: Generally fine, beautifully designed rugs made in the Arak and Sultanabad districts in Central Iran. Many center medallions with corner insets within the field.

Malayer: A weaving district south of Hamadan associated with very fine smaller rugs with medallions and overall designs.

Mazlaghan: These smaller rugs from Northeast Iran belong to the Hamadan group. Their distinctive design is a field divided by two zig-zag lines within which is a central medallion. The common colors are blue & red.

Meshed: A major city in Northeast Iran. They produced large rugs with colors consisting of dark reds, wines and blues. These center medallion rugs are meticulously constructed.

Oushak: Oushak is a city in Turkey that is associated with rugs with a wool foundation with tone on tone coloration. This weaving district has thousands of looms, and the rugs range from 4' x 6' up to 12' wide loomed.

Persian Designs: These are basically new rugs handknotted in India, Pakistan, and Romania with the old traditional Persian patterns. They range from very fine with natural dyes to loose woven rugs with harsh colors. Persian designs may also be machine-made.

Sarouk: Sarouk is a city in Central Iran; south of Tehran. The rugs from this region are tightly knotted with floral motifs with dark burgundy.

Senneh: A town just south of Bijar is synonymous with some of the most respected rugs and flatweave of all Persia. Most Senneh rugs are overall, repeating designs.

Serapi: A broad term used to describe an antique Heriz that was loomed in the late nineteenth century. These Heriz usually have a medallion centered on a field that is more open with a broader design pattern than the typical, traditional Heriz. The weaver generally used bold colors that would contrast sharply within the design.

Shiraz: A town in the South of Iran and is the capital of the Fars province. Shiraz rugs are generally loomed by nomadic tribes in the outskirts of the city and are marketed in Shiraz. A Shiraz rug usually has a series of three medallions.

Soumak: These rugs are produced using a flat-weave technique where the weft (horizontal) threads are wrapped on the warp (vertical) threads, creating a chain stitch brocade look. This process creates a rug which is reversible and which has no dark or light side. The Soumak name is taken from the Caucasian rugs that were made using this technique. Today numerous designs have been copied from original Caucasian rugs and are produced with a worn or antique look.

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