Persian Rug Kashan 527 x 345 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 combination of a wool pile and a cotton foundation is a traditional basis for many Persian rugs: wool forms the visible and tactile surface, while cotton provides the supporting structure into which the knots are secured. In a hand-knotted rug, each knot is inserted individually into the foundation. The finished textile is therefore built through many separate stages of manual work rather than through a mechanically printed surface.

Virgin wool is used in rug making because the fibre is resilient, flexible and pleasant to touch. It accepts colour well and can support the clear contrast between the field, floral forms and outlines found in Kashan designs. The cotton warp gives the foundation a stable framework and helps the knotting proceed in aligned rows. During production, knots, weft threads and warp threads are brought together to create a durable surface. The pile is then trimmed so that the drawing of the pattern can be read with greater clarity and the surface remains even.

The stated knot density is 350,000/m². Knot density records the number of knots within a square metre and is a technical description of the construction. It helps explain the woven structure without replacing the importance of the wool fibre, the colour work or the design itself. Hand-knotting combines controlled construction with decisions about yarn tension, row alignment, colour changes and pile finishing. The result is a textile in which the material and the pattern are inseparable parts of the making process.

Origin and Tradition

Kashan is an important rug centre in central Persia. The city lies in a region where trade, craft and textile production have developed together over a long period. Kashan rugs are recognised within Persian rug culture as a distinct city tradition. Their designs are often associated with a carefully ordered composition, a central medallion, botanical ornament and clearly structured borders. The name Kashan therefore refers not only to a place, but also to a regional vocabulary of design and workshop practice.

The rug tradition of Kashan is closely connected with Persian ornament. In Persian workshops, a design is commonly organised through a relationship between a central order and repeated detail. A pattern plan may determine the position of the medallion, the direction of the vines, the placement of blossoms and the sequence of the borders. The weaver transfers this plan into the foundation row by row. This requires concentration because changes in knot tension, colour placement or line direction can affect the proportions of the composition as a whole.

Persian rugs from Kashan also illustrate the way a practical floor covering can become an ordered field of ornament. A rug does not merely cover a surface; it structures that surface through colour, symmetry and repetition. The central medallion often establishes the visual focus, while the surrounding field and border guide the eye back towards the centre. This arrangement is a fundamental feature of Persian rug design and is connected in Kashan with curling lines, floral details and carefully divided edge zones.

The regional tradition can also be understood through the organisation of the work itself. A design is transferred into the foundation, knots are placed in horizontal rows, and weft threads secure the construction as it advances. Trimming the pile during and after the process helps keep the drawing legible. The craft therefore requires more than the ability to tie knots. It also calls for an understanding of colour sequence, proportion, repeated motifs and the balance between decorated and quieter areas. In Kashan production, construction and visual design are closely related.

Persian rug culture contains many regional schools, each with its own approach to colour, border treatment, medallions and floral drawing. Kashan occupies a place within this variety through a formal and often symmetrical language. Its motifs may recall botanical, courtly or architectural ornament without attempting a literal naturalistic image. Leaves, blossoms and vines are transformed into units that can be repeated, mirrored and joined into a continuous field. This ornamental method allows a design to remain coherent while individual colours and details vary from one rug to another.

The history of Kashan rug making is also part of the wider development of Persian urban weaving. Workshop production made it possible to maintain design systems, coordinate materials and pass practical knowledge between generations. Patterns could be refined through repeated use, while weavers adapted colour relationships and decorative details to different commissions. The enduring presence of medallion and floral compositions reflects the strength of this design language. It does not make every Kashan rug identical; instead, it provides a framework within which each hand-knotted piece receives its own arrangement.

Design and Pattern

The pattern of this rug is described as a floral motif with a medallion. The central form acts as the visual anchor of the composition and is surrounded by botanical ornament. A medallion may be circular, oval, polygonal or built from several nested outlines. Its main function is to establish a centre and give the surrounding vines, flowers and leaves a common direction. The floral drawing fills the field while remaining organised rather than appearing as a random scattering of separate elements.

Floral Persian designs use recurring botanical signs. Blossoms are stylised, leaves are arranged in rhythm, and vines connect individual motifs across the field. The drawing does not necessarily reproduce one identifiable plant. Instead, natural forms are translated into ornamental units that can be repeated, mirrored and extended towards the borders. This transformation makes the pattern readable as a complete textile composition and allows small details to support the larger structure.

A medallion composition is frequently organised around an axis. From the centre, vines may extend towards the ends and sides, while smaller flowers and leaf groups occupy the spaces between the main forms. A carefully structured Persian design balances areas of greater detail with passages that allow the eye to rest. This contrast creates a visual rhythm and helps the central motif remain recognisable. The design is therefore both decorative and architectural in the way it divides the surface.

The border has an important role in a Kashan pattern. It frames the inner field, repeats the floral vocabulary of the centre and gives the rug a defined outer edge. A principal border may be accompanied by narrower guard borders. These strips can contain small flowers, leaves, vines or regularly spaced ornamental details. The transition between the field and the edge is thereby gradual rather than abrupt. The border guides the eye around the perimeter and reinforces the rectangular organisation of the rug.

Colour and ornament work together in a floral medallion design. Red areas can provide a warm foundation, while lighter passages may bring flowers, leaves or outlines forward. Darker lines can separate neighbouring forms and clarify the symmetry of the medallion. The precise role of each colour depends on the design plan. In a Persian rug, the visual effect comes from the relationship between the ground, contours, blossoms, foliage and borders, not from one isolated shade.

The medallion keeps the floral pattern from being perceived as a loose collection of motifs. It establishes a centre and connects the side elements through implied lines. At the same time, the curling vines introduce movement, so the composition does not appear rigid. This combination of disciplined order and flowing botanical ornament is a recurring principle in Persian rug design and fits the Kashan tradition of carefully planned urban rugs.

Floral ornament can also be read at several distances. From across a room, the medallion and the main colour fields define the overall structure. At closer range, smaller blossoms, leaves, outlines and repeated turns in the vines become visible as parts of the larger pattern. Hand-knotting gives these details a textile depth because the drawing is formed from individual knots and coloured yarn rather than applied as a flat image. The relationship between the broad composition and its smaller units is central to the character of Persian floral design.

Special Features

The rug is described as new and unused. It is therefore not presented as a used piece with existing traffic marks, repairs or wear-related changes. The material specification records 100% virgin wool in the pile and 100% cotton in the warp. The stated origin is Persia, while the place and design tradition are identified with Kashan. The age is given as 15-20 years. These details appear together: the rug is described as unused, while its age is placed within that period.

The rug is suitable for use over underfloor heating. For this type of installation, an even temperature across the floor is practical, and heat should not be trapped by an excessively insulating underlay. The piece can therefore be used in a living or representative room where a textile floor covering is combined with steady radiant warmth. Suitability for underfloor heating is a specific use characteristic of this rug.

FAQ

What defines a Kashan Persian rug?

Kashan Persian rugs belong to the Persian tradition of urban weaving. Their compositions are often carefully ordered, bringing together a central medallion, floral ornament and structured borders. Flowers, leaves and vines are stylised and distributed across the field through symmetry or rhythm. In this rug, Kashan identifies the regional tradition and connects the piece with Persian weaving in which design planning, hand-knotting and controlled colour relationships are treated as parts of one process.

Which materials were used for this rug?

The pile is made of 100% virgin wool, and the warp is made of 100% cotton. Wool forms the visible surface and is valued in rug making for its flexible and durable character. Cotton provides the foundation that supports the rows of knots and contributes to the stability of the construction. This combination is established in Persian rug production and brings together a natural pile fibre with a firm textile base.

Can the rug be placed over underfloor heating?

Yes. The rug is described as suitable for underfloor heating. Even distribution of warmth is useful when using a textile floor covering in this setting. It is also sensible to avoid an underlay that blocks or traps excessive heat. With those practical conditions observed, the hand-knotted surface and the floral medallion can be used in a room equipped with underfloor heating.