Tabriz Persian Rugs

Beautiful Tabriz Rugs from One of Iran's Most Ancient Cities

In Iran’s historic Azerbaijan region, nestled in the Quru River valley between the snow capped cone of Sahand mountain and the bone-dry red soil of the Eynali mountain, lies the ancient city of Tabriz. For hundreds of years it has been one of the world's foremost rug weaving capitals, and in 2015 Tabriz was named World Carpet Weaving City by the World Crafts Council. Today, Tabriz remains one of the premier sources of traditional persian rugs and carpets.

Raj is the unit of knot density used by most rug traders. It’s also an important factor in determining rug quality. Rugs with a higher raj or knot count are able to have finer patterns and a softer pile. Tabriz Persian rugs can range from mass market quality of 24 raj (which is roughly 8.7 knots per inch) up to the extremely fine 110 raj (40 knots per inch).

Discerning eyes will also look to raj for insight into the number of strings used for the foundation of the rug, which determines the rigidity or flexibility of a rug. Tabriz rugs are most commonly woven using wool strings knotted on a cotton foundation. For some very fine rugs, silk is sometimes used for the foundation, and only rarely for the pile of Tabriz rugs for accents within the design.

One of the most popular Tabriz designs is the Lachak Toranj. This pattern features a central medallion, evoking a citron fruit. This is surrounded by a lozenge shape that is further surrounded in a foliate rectangular border. These rugs commonly use vivid principal colors. Navy blues from indigo dyes and dark reds are accented by cream, orange, green, brown, and gold.

Another common pattern is Afshan. These rugs have an “all-over” design. An ornate foliated (consisting of flowers and leaves) background covers the entire rug with no center medallion. These are especially popular in dining rooms. These designs have no center medallion to be obscured by a large table. Yet the beautiful border of interwoven pomegranate motifs can still be on proud display.

Finally, some of the most beautiful and sought after Tabriz rugs have a Mahi, or fish, design. These rugs feature an appealing curvilinear pattern and understated dark color palette.Mahi Tabriz carpets also generally have a tighter knot density and are woven of finer quality materials.

Other traditional Tabriz rug patterns include Agajaly, Four Seasons (Dord Fasil), Azari (Azerbaijan), Alabaf, Tree of Life, Miri, and Sardorud.

Browse our vast collection of new and antique Tabriz rugs and find the perfect piece for your home. Handknotted.com is your source to buy Tabriz rugs online.