Heriz Rugs

The tradition of Persian rug weaving dates back more than 3,000 years. These Heriz carpets are named after the largest town in a district of over 30 villages, in the mountainous area of Northwest Persia, 50 miles east of Tabriz. The better semi-antique and antique Heriz rugs used the lustrous wool from the Shahsavan, a nomadic tribe residing in the nearby Elbrus Mountains. According to written records, the King of Persia commissioned an unprecedented carpet decorated with crystals, gemstones, and precious metals in the 6th Century. However, the tradition of Heriz and Serapi rugs is relatively recent. Historically, it was common for traders of antique rugs to market carpets produced in neighboring villages, responsible for Bakshaish rugs, as Heriz. Older antique Heriz rugs, echoing the famous antique Serapi Carpets from the same district, tend to be more spacious in design, while the Heriz rugs woven in the last 60 years tend to be more densely designed.

Other formats more rarely seen include allover flower or leaf antique carpet designs and occasionally a Tree of Life motif reminiscent of some antique caucasian and dragon rugs. With distinctive large-scale motifs and a wide ranging palette of warm colors, the antique Heriz carpet is probably the most popular of the Persian village carpets. In constant, increasing demand for the past decades, the finer old pieces have become scarce and have risen significantly in value and esteem. The inception of the classic “diamond on a square” medallion Heriz was probably in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. It is believed that enterprising Tabriz merchants, wanting roomsize Persian carpets for export, showed local weavers the fine city rugs or maybe even scraps of fabric and asked them to weave large carpets. They are hand-knotted, employing a thick, sturdy cotton foundation with tightly packed knots, making for their well-known durability. The weavers, skilled in the more spontaneous and angular weaving of tribal origin, adapted these antique carpet designs. The result, the Heriz Rug, is a marvelously effective hybrid, a rustic, charming village carpet with a richness and grandeur equal to the Persian court pieces. Come and stop by our gallery to find Fine Antique Sultanabad carpets at 410 Olive.