Tabriz Carpet Design

It is one of the oldest rug weaving centers and makes a huge diversity of types of carpets.

Tabriz carpet design.

A common designation of tabriz rugs is the raj which stands for 7 cm. Herati mahi motifs are used as embellishments in medallion carpets but are also used as a single design in intricately woven all over patterns. Tabriz carpets use fine wool giving luster to the colors and flexibility in handling. The major city of tabriz located near the turkish border is the center of classically designed antique carpets in northwest persia.

The range starts at bazaar quality of 24 raj and on up to the incredibly fine 110 raj. A good tabriz has a short and rough pile. Raj is the unit of knot density. Classic tabriz carpets feature a central medallion with all over designs of floral motifs leaves tendrils and vines echoing the stylistic characteristics of the ardabil carpets yet each is a unique work.

Tabriz carpets are easily distinguished by an additional designation. The categorisation refers to the knot density per square metre and thus gives an indication of the quality. The fineness of the carpets is categorised by the raj number which shows the number of knots in between 7 cm. It shows the rigidity of the rug which based on the number of strings used for the found.

The manufacturing of carpets today is extensive and the quality varies from excellent handicrafts to simple and cheap bazaar qualities. While the finest carpets have more than a million knots and are called 90raj simple rugs still have a density of 400 000 500 000 knots 40raj. The patterns can consist of a centrally placed medallion surrounded by arabesques weeping willows and cypresses.