Tafresh, Tayemeh, Toyserkan, Turkmen, Varamin, Viss (Vist), Yazd

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:

Tafresh

Tafresh is a town located north of Arak (Sultanabad). Many medallions have sixteen spokes radiating away from the center. Rugs from this area may be woven using a Turkish or Persian knot.

Tayemeh

Tayemeh is an important weaving center in the Malayer area in the Hamadan province. Higher quality Jozans may be considered as Tayemeh.

Toyserkan

Toyserkan is an area in the Hamadan province which makes generally smaller and narrower sizes.

Turkmen

Further back in history, most of Turkmen rugs were produced by nomadic tribes. They live in eastern Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan. The five major tribes are Yomut, Ersari, Saryk, Salor, and Tekke. They mainly incorporate geometric designs using a Gul pattern. Ensi is a type of design with Y-figures in a large block.

Varamin

Varamin is a city south of Tehran. It is made up of different ethnic groups which have settled in the area.

Viss (Vist)

Viss or Vist are woven in the Esfahan province with geometric medallions or allover Herati patterns. Some weavers weave rugs from designs submitted to memory without drawn patterns to follow as a guide.

Yazd

Yazd is an ancient city in the middle of Iran. Rugs woven in Yazd are similar to those of Kerman, and they use a high-quality dyes and materials.

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.