Three of the great rug-weaving traditions look different at first glance. A few features help you place a rug before you read the label.
Traditional Rugs are named after the town or region where they are made, such as Qom, Kerman, Tabriz, Hamadan or Bakhtiari. City workshops usually weave curved, flowing designs: central medallions, vines, flowers and detailed borders. Village and tribal pieces, including Gabbeh from the Qashqai nomads, have bolder, simpler designs and a less regular drawing.
Turkmen rugs are woven by tribal groups of Central Asia, among them the Tekke, Yomut, Ersari and Salor. They are known for deep reds and browns and for repeating geometric motifs called guls, set in rows across the field. Turkmen weavers also made many bags, such as chuvals and torbas, and tent decorations.
Caucasian rugs come from the mountain regions between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, including Kazak, Shirvan and Quba. They are recognised by strong geometric designs, clear contrasting colours and a firm, thick pile. Medallions are often large and angular.
What to look at:
- the drawing: curved and floral points to traditional city weaving; rows of repeated guls to Turkmen; large angular medallions to Caucasian
- the palette: Turkmen is dominated by reds, Caucasian by strong blues, reds and yellows, Traditional covers the widest range
- the shape: bags and tent pieces are typical of Turkmen weaving, while Traditional Rugs include runners and large carpets
- the border: broad, layered borders are common in Traditional and Caucasian rugs
These are tendencies, not rules. Weavers moved, copied and mixed designs, and an experienced eye looks at several features together.
See our collections: Traditional Rugs, Turkmen rugs and Caucasian rugs.