Persian Rug Kashan 222 x 145 cm Wool Hand-knotted

Kashan Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Kashan Persian rug is hand-knotted with a pile made from 100% virgin wool. Its warp is made from 100% cotton. The two materials therefore have distinct roles within the rug: wool forms the visible and tactile surface, while cotton provides the foundation into which the knots are worked. This separation between pile and warp is an important part of the construction of a hand-knotted Oriental rug.

Hand knotting builds the textile one knot at a time. Each knot is placed into the warp and secured through the following stages of weaving, gradually forming a stable surface. The process requires attention when translating outlines, transitions and small ornamental elements into the structure of the rug. This rug has a knot density of 350,000 knots per square metre. That density allows the floral design and central medallion to be rendered with considerable detail rather than being limited to broad, simplified shapes.

Virgin wool is used in rug making for its pleasant handle and resilient nature. It gives the pile a soft surface and contributes to comfortable underfoot contact. The craftsmanship described for this rug combines that tactile quality with the careful execution of hand knotting. The rug is also described as durable and moisture resistant. High-quality natural materials were used in its construction.

Producing a rug by hand is a gradual process in which the design is built from individual knots. Unlike a mechanically produced surface, the pattern develops through the sequence of hand-placed elements. This makes it possible to work through floral lines, framing details and the central form with distinction. The rug is new and unused, so its pile has not been shaped by previous everyday traffic.

Origin and Tradition

Kashan lies in the heart of Iran and is one of the recognised centres of Persian rug production. The city and its surrounding region have a long weaving tradition in which rug making has been maintained across generations. Kashan rugs are associated with carefully developed ornament, ordered compositions and precise craftsmanship. The name Kashan therefore refers to a regional weaving tradition, not merely to a decorative pattern applied elsewhere.

Persian rug culture grew from the relationship between practical textile use, visual design and the transmission of skilled work. A rug had to function as a woven surface while also presenting an intelligible ornamental order. In Kashan, this relationship has often been expressed through compositions built around a central medallion and supported by floral forms. A design is organised as a plan and then transferred into the textile by knotting it row after row.

Traditional weaving knowledge is often passed on within families and workshops. It includes more than the knot itself: it also covers preparing the warp, counting rows, arranging borders and coordinating colour areas with the intended forms. A regional school influences the way a design is read and how it is translated into fibre. Kashan represents a Persian tradition in which ornamental precision and disciplined handwork belong together.

Kashan’s historical importance is connected with its role as a major centre of rug production in Iran. Over time, knowledge of design, fibre preparation and knotting techniques could be preserved and developed there. The transfer of techniques from one generation to the next helps explain why regional rugs can retain recognisable characteristics while still differing from one another. Every hand-knotted rug nevertheless remains an individual textile piece, because its execution is not mechanically identical in every detail.

Persian rugs form part of a broad ornamental tradition. Plant forms, symmetry and a clearly marked centre are arranged as a system of focus, repetition and framing. In the Kashan tradition, this system is joined to a precise knotting process. The result can be read both from a distance, as a coherent field, and close up, through its individual knots, lines and changes within the design. Origin and technique therefore work together without making the rug dependent on a single isolated motif.

Design and Pattern

The pattern of this rug is described as a floral design with a medallion. Its composition therefore has a clearly defined central form accompanied by floral elements. A medallion establishes a visual focus and helps organise the surrounding field. The floral motifs connect the centre with the area around it and contribute movement, continuity and rhythm to the overall arrangement.

Floral rug designs draw on forms from the plant world, but place them within an ornamental structure. Leaves, blossoms, tendrils and stylised branches may be repeated, mirrored or directed towards the centre. They do not have to reproduce nature literally. In Persian rug art, natural forms are commonly formalised so that they can function within a continuous pattern, a border or a symmetrical field.

The combination of a medallion and floral ornament is a recognised principle in Persian rug composition. The centre can provide a point of visual rest, while the surrounding plant forms create movement and rhythm. Geometric order and softer floral lines are not opposites in this approach. Their interaction produces a design that feels structured while still containing many separate details.

Ornaments in rug art can carry cultural associations as well as a decorative role. Floral forms are often linked with fertility, happiness and prosperity. These interpretations belong to the wider symbolic language of such motifs and form part of the cultural reading of Oriental rugs. The floral medallion therefore combines a visible decorative function with a pattern tradition in which plant forms are understood as more than lines added only for embellishment.

The high knot density supports the detailed execution of the design. Fine outlines, small branches and transitions within a floral composition can be represented more precisely in the rug surface. The design is not reduced to isolated details, however. The central medallion, the surrounding floral forms and the organisation of the full field operate together. Hand knotting translates this drawn arrangement into a sequence of knots and colour areas.

A pattern of this kind rewards viewing from both a distance and close at hand. From across the room, the structure of the medallion becomes apparent; closer inspection reveals the individual floral forms and the work involved in setting them into the pile. This double readability is characteristic of many traditional rug designs. The Kashan rug combines a centred composition with a detailed surface and remains firmly connected to Persian ornamental practice.

Special Features

One defining feature of this rug is its knot density of 350,000 knots per square metre. This supports a fine rendering of the floral medallion pattern and gives the surface a detailed structure. Its character comes from the relationship between dense knotting, hand craftsmanship and the chosen ornament rather than from any single feature in isolation.

The pile is made from 100% virgin wool and the warp from 100% cotton. These natural materials determine the rug’s construction and tactile quality. It is hand-knotted, new and unused. The rug is also suitable for rooms with underfloor heating. When it is used with underfloor heating, the temperature should not be set too high in order to protect the material.

As a Kashan Persian rug, this one-off piece represents an Iranian origin and a composition centred on a floral medallion. Its special features therefore include the stated material and construction details as well as the combination of regional tradition and a central ornamental design. It is a textile work made by hand, without depending on the mechanical uniformity of a machine-produced surface.

FAQ

How should I care for my Kashan Persian rug?

Vacuum the rug regularly and carefully so that dust and loose particles do not remain in the pile. Avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, as this can cause the colours to fade. If a spill or mark occurs, dab it immediately with a clean, damp cloth rather than rubbing the area vigorously. Professional cleaning is recommended for a thorough treatment because it helps protect the fine materials and takes the hand-knotted construction into account. Since this rug has a virgin wool pile and a cotton warp, expert handling is appropriate when heavier soiling needs to be removed.

Can I use the rug in a room with underfloor heating?

Yes, this Kashan Persian rug is suitable for rooms with underfloor heating. The temperature should not be set too high so that the material is not damaged. Even, moderate warmth allows the rug to be used in a room heated through the floor. When operating the heating system, make sure that the recommended conditions are observed and that the textile surface is not exposed to unnecessarily intense heat. This keeps the use of the hand-knotted rug compatible with the heating arrangement described for it.

How can I identify an original hand-knotted rug?

An original hand-knotted rug often has an irregular structure, and cuts on the reverse can provide indications of hand knotting. The pattern and colours should appear lively and layered. A high knot count is also considered an indicator of a high-quality hand-knotted rug, while the absence of factory marks can be another sign. These clues should be assessed together rather than separately: the reverse, surface structure, pattern, colour effect and knot execution all contribute to the assessment. For this piece, the hand-knotted construction and high knot density are expressly part of its description.