Tabriz rugs

A long weaving history

Tabriz is one of the oldest and most important rug-weaving centers in Iran. Its workshops made famous carpets for royal courts in the 15th and 16th centuries, when the city served as a Persian capital.

In the late 19th century, Tabriz merchants led a revival of Persian weaving for export to Europe and America. They organized workshops in the city and sent orders to the surrounding villages, including the Heriz region.

Designs

Tabriz weavers work from detailed drawn plans, so the range of designs is unusually wide. The classic layout is a central medallion with corner pieces and a floral field of palmettes and vines.

You will also see hunting scenes, garden panels, all-over Herati patterns, prayer designs and pictorial rugs. Because the city weaves so many styles, the design alone does not prove that a rug is from Tabriz.

How they are made

Most Tabriz rugs are hand-knotted with the symmetrical knot on a cotton foundation. Tabriz weavers often tie knots with a small hooked knife, which helps them work quickly at fine counts.

Many newer pieces use wool with silk accents to outline the design. The finest have silk foundations or silk pile, and some carry a weaver or workshop signature in the border.

What raj means

Tabriz dealers often describe fineness in raj, the number of knots counted along about 7 centimeters of the rug. A 50 raj rug is finer than a 30 raj rug.

Raj is a local trade term, not a strict standard, so ask how it was counted. Knots per square inch is easier to compare across rugs from different places.

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