Semnon, Senneh, Senneh Bijar, Shahrebabak, Sharabian

Oriental rugs are often known by the regions they were woven in. Collectors of Persian rugs often research each region thoroughly to understand not only the rug weaving techniques but also the designs and traditions employed in each region. These traditions often date back hundreds of years and are woven into the culture of each region. This richness impresses even more beauty on the Persian rugs that are available for sale around the world. Learn below about the different regions and click on the photos above to see samples of the different patterns.

Iranian (Persian) rug making region(s) included on this page:

Semnon

The city of Semnon is located east of city of Tehran in the Semnon province.

Senneh

The city of Sanandaj (formerly known as Senneh) is a center for fine weaves. They actually use the Turkish knot, although the word Senneh sometimes is used to represent the Persian knot. They use a single-weft and the wool is thin and tightly spun.

Shahrebabak

Shahrebabak is located in the Kerman province and is populated by the Afshars. The rugs typically have diamond-shape medallions in the design.

Sharabian

Sharabian is a city south of Heris in the Azarbaijan province. It typically has designs similar to herises, however, it uses less geometric lines. It also has a very unique weave using only one weft. There is no intertwining by alternating going over/under opposite warps each row. Therefore, if the weft goes under the right warp on the first row, it will continue as such until the last row.

If you are curious to learn more, my eBook The Art of Oriental Rugs - A Weaver's Perspective shows you: 1) how to identify a weave** and how different techniques produce “recognizable” variations in different regions, 2) maps with geographical views of where rugs are woven in the country of Iran and how the regional weaves influence each other, and 3) 750+ close-up pictures of weaves from 170+ rug-weaving regions in Iran and around the globe. I’ve written a book I wish I had when I first started in the rug business. This, I humbly hope, will be seen as an indispensable addition to any library.