The Iranian city of Isfahan has long been one of the centres for production of the famous Persian carpet. Isfahani carpets are known for their high quality. The most famous workshop in Isfahan is Seirafian. Weaving in Isfahan flourished in the Safavid era. But when the Afghans invaded Iran, ending the Safavid dynasty, the craft also became stagnant. The high knot density antique carpets in which Isfahan excelled continued to be woven in the late 19th and 20th centuries, maintaining the original inspiration and attention to refinement and detail.
Sarouk, a small village and its neighboring villages in northwestern Iran are the source of large numbers rugs imported into the United States. The Sarouk carpet production came into existence around 1880 specifically for the European and North American markets. Before 1920s the Sarouk design was similar to that of the rug weaving centers of Ferahan and Tabriz. Most Sarouk rugs followed a very distinctive design and it depended on floral sprays and bouquets. Mohajeran refers to another village where rugs are produced.
The city of Tabriz is situated in North West Persia and it is one of the largest cities and also the capital in the province of Azerbaijan and was the earliest capital of the Safavid dynasty and it can claim to have been a center of carpet production longer than any other city in Iran. The population comprising of the Azaris, who are the largest ethnic minority in Iran and speak the Turkish dialect. The city is old and has for centuries been a very important trading place and border station. A good Tabriz has a short and rough pile
Tabriz carpets are distinguished by their excellent weave and by their remarkable adherence to the classical traditions of Persian rug design. The city of Tabriz, was the earliest capital of the Safavid dynasty. One of the most important figures in Tabriz rug making was the master weaver Haji Jalili and best known today for his incredible and unique approach to rug-making and his preference for distinctive color palettes and design elements. Haji Jalili is especially known for mixing lighter colors, such as pinks, golds and grays into the design of his rugs.
The Bakhtiari tribe, based in Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari, is well known for their rugs and weavings. They have been weaving rugs exported around the globe since the early 19th century.
The Ghiordes captured the hearts of European collectors in the 1700s. Ture s, highly decorative spandrel and gorgeous monochromatic fields. These stunning rugs are typically made from the highest quality wool. This construction technique produces beautiful and extremely durable rugs. The grand room-sized carpets of Ghiordes include a marvelous variety of angular medallions, graceful curvilinear arabesques and repeating motifs. In general, antique Turkish carpets from the area tend to favor botanical motifs and florals rather than the angular symbols that are depicted in some Turkish rugs.
The source of this important provenance has been in the village of Sarouk. North of Arak (formerly Sultanabad). Sarouks are known to be of high quality. The pile is usually higher than the average Persian rug and therefore Sarouks are rather heavy and solid rugs, the wool being used is high quality durable wool. "Mohajeran" or "Mahajeran" is the name of a village West of Arak.
