How to Identify an Authentic Persian Carpet?

Antique Persian rugs are part of the tradition of Iran, ancient Persia, becoming a manifestation of its culture that dates back to the Bronze Age. Although they are now considered luxury pieces, it has nothing to do with their modest beginnings, when nomadic tribes used it to protect themselves from the cold winters.

Let us find out how to identify an antique Persian rug:

To identify a Persian carpet, a first step may be to verify the place of origin. If the piece is knotted in Iran it means that the carpet is authentically Persian. If its origin has another origin such as Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India or Nepal, for example, we would not be looking at a Persian carpet, but an “oriental carpet”.

The manufacturing method also determines the authenticity of the piece. Handmade carpets are made on a loom where the design is developed, manually knotting thread by thread. This procedure is slow and sometimes it can take months or even years to carry out. On the contrary, if the process is mechanized, the work can be ready in a few hours.

Looking closely at the fringes will also help us determine if the carpet has been made by hand or by machine. In the handmade pieces, the fringes are part of the surface, as they are the continuation of the warps or vertical threads used in the looms and on which the carpet is knotted or woven. On the contrary, the pieces made by machine have fringes that have been sewn once the carpet is manufactured.

Another of the keys that will help us distinguish a Persian rug is the materials used to make it. The main raw materials in this type of pieces are wool, silk, and cotton.

Wool and silk are usually the main materials when making carpets, while for wefts and warps they usually use cotton. Sheep wool is the most commonly used, although lamb wool also becomes especially important. The wool of the neck and chest of animals is usually the softest since it is protected from the weather.

When you buy Persian Rugs and want to see if a carpet is handmade, it is recommended to always look at the back. On oriental carpets, on the other hand, the design is as clear as on the face, on mechanical carpets NO.

In an artisan piece, the drawings may have differences in shape and size, in mechanics, they are always accurate. If the carpet is handmade, it will have some side trims made by hand, in the carpets made by machine the sides are also.

If you want to buy a genuine piece of rug, it is always advisable to buy it from the Best Oriental Rugs Store only.