When asked what Persian rugs are, you need to distinguish a period.
In a general sense, a Persian rug mainly refers to the Persian Empire. This empire lasted two centuries and had a reputation for being the most luxurious carpet-making in history.
The Persian Empire (Iran) has included countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Syria, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as early as 550BC. It also included parts of Egypt, Libya, India, Greece, and Bulgaria during that time.
At the height of the Persian Empire, it includes over 8 million kilometers of countries.
Even in 1272, Marco Polo praised the “beautiful rugs” made in an area encompassed by what we often refer to as Ancient Persia. Carpet weaving is an art form that includes hand-woven carpets using indigenous natural dyes and patterns which may have been woven for generations.
Persian Rugs
You can easily find new and innovative designs of all types being created for personal or commercial purposes. At Sharafi & Co, we provide antique rugs and bespoke hand-woven carpets, and bespoke Persian rugs to fit any requirement.
Strictly speaking, today, Persian rugs would pertain to Iran and include their long history of fine carpet making.