- Mood Persian rugs are hand-woven in Mashad, the
capital of the province of Khorassan. Mood rugs are rare and very high
quality—at the top of the Persian rug category. They feature thick
piles and intricate, all-over patterns in the boteh or Herati designs. The
main colors are tones of beige, brown, blue and red.
- Mahal Persian rugs are hand-woven in the Mahallat region, near Arak, capital of the province of Markad. The rug weaving industry in the region is centuries old. Mahal rugs usually feature the Herati design.
- Gabbeh Persian rugs are hand-woven by the people of the Qashqai tribe living around Shiraz. The Qashqai are nomadic shepherds whose flocks produce the wool used in their rugs. Gabbeh rugs are usually flat-woven from high quality local wool. They have very thick, soft and luxurious piles. Traditionally they have been woven without a pattern. The weavers took their inspiration from their surroundings. Gabbehs tend to have uncluttered fields with occasional geometric human or animal shapes. They can also feature all-over abstract patterns and bold stripes.
- Senneh Persian rugs are Kurdish tribal rugs hand-woven in the Senneh district. They are also known as Sanandaj. Senneh rug patterns are geometric and sometimes resemble those of Bidjar. They are usually small and feature the Herati design with a diamond-shaped medallion. The colors are rich earth tones.
- Kashmar Persian rugs are hand-woven in the city of Kashmar, in the province of Khorassan. The city is very old and has been known for its exquisite rugs for centuries. Kashmar rugs are produced by master weavers and are renowned for their beauty. They are easy to spot because of their unique design and large size. Kashmars usually depict the stories of important events in Persian history. There are often images of the ancient ruins and sculpture at Persepolis or the great Persian kings Daruis and Xerxes. Other Kashmar rugs resemble Kashans, with central medallions and
spandrels.
- Ardekan is an old city in central Iran. Ardekan Persian rugs are hand woven and closely resemble those made in Kashan and Yazd. Ardekan rugs feature an intricate central medallion surrounded by floral motifs, intertwined grape vines and garden elements. Their colors are mainly shades of red, burgundy, navy blue and ivory.
- Hamadan Persian rugs are hand-woven tribal rugs. They are traded in Hamadan, a large tribal rug-trading center. Hamadan rug patterns are as varied as the tribes that produce them. They range from geometrics to floral and all-over Herati designs. The colors also vary widely from tones of red, green and blue to beige, rust, yellow and salmon.
- Tabriz Persian rugs are hand-woven in Tabriz. The city is the most prolific of all Persian rug-making centers and is known for the high quality of its rugs. Most are woven on a base of fine cotton, but some are made on silk. There are many Tabriz rug designs, but the typical patterns feature dense floral motifs, large palmettes, vases, hunting scenes or other pictorial elements in the field. There can be a medallion and sometimes geometric designs are also seen. There are many sub-styles of Tabriz rugs. Mahi has coordinated borders and subdued tones. Naqsheh features many shades of pink on beige and sometimes black. The finest Mahis and Naqshehs are woven with Kurk wool and their highlights are outlined in silk. Tabatabaie rugs feature wild and beautiful designs in tones of orange, lemony-green and beige.Bakhtiari Persian rugs are hand-woven by the people of the Bakhtiari tribe in the Chahar Mahal region.
- Bakhtiari rugs generally have a checker board or garden pattern decorated with trees-of-life, birds, flowers and animals. The images can be realistic or abstract. Most Bakhtiari rugs are woven using a Turkish knot, but some of the floral patterns made in Shahr Kurd use the Persian one. These rugs feature long medallions similar to an earlier Isfahan style. Bakhtiari color schemes feature shades of brown, rust, ochre, green, beige, dark blue and red.
- Bakhtiari Persian rugs are hand-woven by the people of the Bakhtiari tribe in the Chahar Mahal region. Bakhtiari rugs generally have a checker board or garden pattern decorated with trees-of-life, birds, flowers and animals. The images can be realistic or abstract. Most Bakhtiari rugs are woven using a Turkish knot, but some of the floral patterns made in Shahr Kurd use the Persian one. These rugs feature long medallions similar to an earlier Isfahan style. Bakhtiari color schemes feature shades of brown, rust, ochre, green, beige, dark blue and red.
- Arak Persian rugs are hand-woven in the city of Arak, an important rug-making center. Arak rugs usually feature one of three patterns. The first is the Herati—small fish woven throughout the field, with or without a central medallion. The curvilinear Sarough pattern features grape vines intertwined throughout the field and a round central medallion. The Wiss design includes three diamonds making up the central medallion. The colors used in Arak rugs vary according to the pattern and whim of the weaver. They almost always include red and navy blue.