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Persian Rugs
Fine quality Persian rugs have been an important element of
decorating schemes for many years. They are made from natural fibers
such as wool, cotton, and silk. Handmade Persian rugs use the finest
wool, while the wool used in Turkish and Indian area rugs tends to
be coarser. There are actually Persian rugs with highlights containing
threads of pure gold, although they can mainly be found hanging in
museums and galleries.
Persian rugs are attractive to decorators because of their warm and
soft colour palette. Good quality Persian rugs are dyed using natural
plant and vegetable dyes, while less expensive rugs are chemically
dyed. The way it is coloured and the combination of colours in Persian
rugs and carpets is a key factor in determining the price and value
of your rug. Typical colours in Persian rugs are red, blue, green,
black, khaki, yellow salmon and brown. This broad array of colour choices
makes Persian rugs a natural addition to your decorating plans. Persian
rug weaving patterns include scrolling vine networks, arabesques, palmettes,
medallions, and overlapping geometric designs.
As a testament to their spectacular construction and enduring beauty,
the Persian oriental rug is often the carpet of choice today
History of Persian Rugs
The Persian rug is an essential part of Iranian art and culture and
dates back to the Bronze Age. Known as the home of the original Oriental
rug, Iran was once the most powerful empire in the Middle East. The
greatest period of Persian rug weaving was during the reign of the
Safavid Dynasty (1502-1722), mainly during the rule of Shah Tahmasp
(1524-76) and Shah Abbas I (1588-1629). Shah Abbas himself was a skillful
Persian rug weaver. The Safavid Dynasty rulers established royal Persian
rug weaving workshops in many key cities throughout their country.
As a result, Persian rug weaving evolved from a nomadic craft into
a sophisticated art. The earliest surviving Persian rug dates from
the Safavid dynasty. However, painted depictions prove a longer history
of production.
As a testament to their spectacular construction and enduring beauty,
the Persian rug is still sought after and revered today.
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