Persian Rug Kashan 395 x 295 cm Wool Hand-knotted

Kashan Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Kashan Persian Rug is hand-knotted. Its pile is made of 100% virgin wool, while the warp is made of 100% cotton. The wool forms the visible, walkable surface of the rug. In rug making, wool is used as a natural fibre for its comfortable feel and resilient structure. The cotton warp provides the foundation into which the knots are secured, complementing the wool pile with a separate material that has long been established in rug construction.

Hand-knotting builds the rug one knot at a time. Unlike machine production, this process places the design directly into the structure of the textile rather than applying it to an already finished surface. The knot density of this piece is 350,000 knots/m². This density supports a finely articulated surface and allows a floral motif with a medallion to be drawn with precision. The pile height is approximately 10 mm and refers to the height of the wool pile above the foundation.

In a hand-knotted rug, pile, knots and warp are joined into one continuous textile surface. The work requires consistent knotting and careful attention to the design as it develops. The pattern therefore gains depth from its construction instead of being merely placed on top of the rug. Each hand-knotted rug is made as an individual piece. This rug is in very good condition and is unused.

The rug is suitable for use over underfloor heating. In everyday care, the wool surface can be vacuumed regularly and gently. If a spill occurs, it should be blotted promptly with a damp cloth rather than rubbed. More substantial soiling is best entrusted to a professional rug cleaner. These basic measures are appropriate for the described wool pile, while unusual stains still require cleaning suited to the material and construction.

Origin and Tradition

The rug comes from Persia and is identified as a Kashan Persian Rug. Kashan, in Iran, is one of the established centres of Persian rug making. The city lies in central Iran and developed a distinct tradition of design and knotting over many generations. Kashan is also associated with historic architecture, skilled urban crafts and a long textile culture. The name Kashan therefore points to an established rug tradition, not simply to a decorative look.

Kashan’s rug production reaches back to the Safavid period. During the sixteenth century, Persian court and urban arts placed increasing importance on carefully planned textile designs. Kashan became an important location in this development. Its rugs were shaped by ordered compositions, detailed ornament and the disciplined use of colour. Designs changed over time, but the relationship between a central arrangement, floral drawing and controlled structure remained important to many Kashan traditions.

Persian rugs are traditionally understood as more than utilitarian floor coverings. Their construction combines practical textile work with a carefully developed visual plan. A design is transferred to the rug surface and rendered through coloured knots. Many small units together create flowers, leaves, vines, borders and medallions. The precision of the finished image depends on the design plan, the experience of the knotters and the consistency of the execution.

Kashan is particularly associated with densely organised floral compositions. A central medallion is often surrounded by plant ornament and an ordered border system. Such rugs commonly establish a strong central axis and distribute their motifs in a balanced way. Borders give the field a defined edge and carry ornament towards the perimeter. Individual rugs can differ considerably, yet the combination of floral detail and formal organisation remains a recognisable part of the regional design language.

Iran contains many rug-making regions, each with its own visual and technical history. Within that wider variety, Kashan represents a city-based tradition in which drawn designs, planned fields and decorative refinement play a central role. Many urban rugs are developed from patterns that establish the arrangement of the field and borders. This does not make every rug identical. Handwork, colour relationships and the particular execution give each individual piece its own textile character.

Technique is part of regional tradition as well. The warp establishes the foundation for the knots, the pile makes the design visible, and knot density affects the fineness with which the drawing can be rendered. This rug combines hand-knotting with a density of 350,000 knots/m². It therefore represents both the structural side of Persian rug making and the decorative Kashan approach to composition. Its Persian origin and Kashan designation are expressed through the relationship between material, technique and pattern.

Design and Pattern

The pattern of this rug is described as a floral motif with a medallion. In rug design, a medallion is a central ornament that organises the composition of the field. It may be circular, oval, polygonal or built from several related forms. Floral drawing surrounds or accompanies this centre with flowers, leaves and scrolling vines. The result is a balance between a clearly established focal point and a more active ornamental field.

Floral designs are a major form of expression in Persian rug art. They translate plants into a structured textile vocabulary rather than copying nature as a botanical illustration. A flower may be simplified, mirrored or repeated rhythmically. Vines connect separate areas of the composition, while leaves reinforce the direction of the lines. This treatment creates an organised surface with movement and variety while keeping the design within a coherent decorative system.

In a medallion layout, the centre gives the rug a visual order. The surrounding design may develop outward from it or respond to it with balanced side elements. A considered arrangement allows the eye to recognise the central form while still discovering smaller details throughout the field. Borders strengthen this order by separating the inner field from the edge. They often repeat floral or geometric elements in a narrower, continuous sequence.

The colour of this rug is blue. In Persian rugs, blue may range from deep, concentrated shades to lighter variations, and it can establish a calm ground or create contrast with the surrounding ornament. Blue is the colour specified for this piece; no additional colours are added here. Its visual effect is considered together with the floral motif, the central medallion and the dense, knotted surface.

The style is described as classic and oriental. Classic refers here to a formally ordered composition with a recognisable centre and a traditional ornamental logic. Oriental places the rug within the broad family of decorative rugs associated with weaving and knotting cultures of the Orient. These terms complement the specific pattern description but do not replace it: the design of this piece is a floral motif with a medallion.

Its knot density contributes to the legibility of this type of ornament. Flowers, scrolling lines and contours can be coordinated in a densely knotted field. The image is not printed onto the surface; it is formed by the placement of differently coloured knots. From a distance, the overall medallion composition becomes visible first. At closer range, the smaller floral units and the texture of the pile become easier to distinguish. This combination of overall clarity and fine detail is associated with many carefully drawn urban rugs.

The medallion creates a firm visual centre, while the floral drawing introduces movement within the composition. The design thus combines symmetry with ornamental variation. The blue colour, the classic classification and the Kashan pattern give the rug a clearly traditional appearance. It can be read as one unified arrangement or through its individual flowers, vines and framing elements.

Special Features

The specific features of this piece include hand-knotting, a knot density of 350,000 knots/m², a pile of 100% virgin wool and a 100% cotton warp. Its pile height is approximately 10 mm, and its pattern is a floral medallion design. The colour is blue, the style is classic and oriental, and the rug is in very good condition and unused. It is also suitable for use with underfloor heating.

The knot density helps explain how the floral contours and central ornament are rendered across the surface. Many individual knots combine to form the design. Virgin wool supplies the stated pile, while cotton forms the warp that supports the construction. Because the rug is hand-knotted, it is an individual piece rather than a machine-produced series item.

The combination of Kashan origin, a classic composition and a medallion arrangement gives the rug a distinct traditional direction. Its suitability for underfloor heating makes it compatible with rooms equipped with that system. To preserve its very good condition, gentle regular vacuuming and appropriate professional treatment for heavier soiling are suitable care measures.

FAQ

How should a hand-knotted Kashan Persian Rug be cleaned?

The wool pile should be vacuumed regularly and carefully so that loose dirt is removed without unnecessary stress on the surface. If a stain occurs, the affected area should be blotted as soon as possible with a damp cloth. Rubbing should be avoided because it can work the substance deeper into the fibres or place strain on the pile. More difficult or sensitive stains should be handled by a professional rug cleaner. Proper treatment takes account of the hand-knotted construction, the wool pile and the cotton warp.

Where can this Kashan rug be placed?

The rug can be used in interiors furnished in either a classic or a modern manner. Its blue colour, floral ornament and central medallion suit spaces where an ordered traditional design is intended to remain visible. Living rooms and dining rooms are suitable settings, and it can also serve as an accent piece in an office. Since the rug is suitable for underfloor heating, it can be used in rooms equipped with that system as well.

What is special about a density of 350,000 knots/m²?

This figure describes the number of knots within one square metre of rug surface. A density of 350,000 knots/m² indicates a densely knotted structure in which floral lines, flower forms and the medallion can be rendered with differentiation. Knot density is one technical characteristic and should be considered together with the material, pile height and construction. In this piece it accompanies a pile of 100% virgin wool, a cotton warp and hand-knotted workmanship. It explains the textile basis for the precise pattern, but by itself does not define every aspect of a rug.