Where were these tribal rugs originally made?

These textiles were produced by nomadic confederacies and village weavers across various regions of Persia, including Fars, Kerman, and Khorassan. Each tribal group maintained distinct design traditions influenced by their geographic environment and ancestral heritage. Weavers utilised local materials available to their specific locale, resulting in regional variations in wool quality, structural density, and palette selection.

How do I care for a vintage wool rug?

Regular, gentle vacuuming without a rotating power brush helps remove embedded dust and protects the wool fibres from abrasive wear. Professional cleaning tailored to antique textiles ensures the preservation of natural dyes and foundational integrity. Rotating the rug periodically prevents uneven sun exposure and balances foot traffic across the pile over the years.

What is the difference between a rug and a runner?

Standard rugs are proportioned in rectangular or square formats suited for central floor placement in living rooms, bedrooms, or dining spaces. Runners are manufactured with an elongated, narrow geometry designed specifically for corridors, staircases, or narrow passages. Both formats share identical hand-knotting techniques and material compositions depending on the originating tribe or village.

How can I tell a tribal rug from a city piece?

Tribal rugs typically feature geometric motifs, memory-driven designs, and irregular, asymmetrical layouts born from nomadic life. City carpets tend to display highly formalized, symmetrical floral medallions planned on elaborate paper cartoons. Nomadic pieces often incorporate a greater variety of spontaneous abrash and varied hand-spun wool textures compared to commercial workshop productions.