Persian Rug Moud 290 x 200 cm Hand-knotted (Sold)

Moud Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Moud Persian rug is hand-knotted. Its pile is made of 100% wool and silk, while the warp is made of 100% cotton. The combination of wool and silk defines an important aspect of the surface of Moud rugs. Wool forms the principal textile pile, while silk is used to refine the pile and bring out its sheen. The cotton warp provides the foundation for the knotting.

The knot density of this rug is 250000/Qm. Moud rugs are made with the Persian, or asymmetric, knot. For experienced weavers, this knot allows intricate and highly detailed designs to be executed with precision. Two weft threads are used in their construction. The established method therefore combines a cotton foundation, a wool and silk pile, and a dense hand-knotted structure.

The material specification for this individual rug is 100% wool and silk in the pile and 100% cotton in the warp. Its condition is described as like new. No further construction details are added here; the stated materials, hand-knotting, and knot density are the technical characteristics of this one-of-a-kind piece.

Origin and Tradition

Moud rugs belong to the Persian carpet tradition of Khorassan. Moud is described as a city south of Birdjan and Mashad with a long history of carpet weaving. At the same time, Moud rugs are associated with the city of Mashad in Khorassan province. Mashad is a major weaving centre as well as a trading centre for rugs produced in neighbouring towns and villages. This connection places the Moud name within the wider Khorassan tradition, where it refers both to a recognizable style and to a regional production environment.

Moud rugs have been known in the antiques trade since the turn of the twentieth century. Most were woven in city workshops, although examples made on household looms also occur. These two forms of production stand alongside one another in the Moud tradition: organized workshop weaving and smaller-scale domestic weaving. In both settings, handwork remains the basis of the rugs.

Moud rugs share certain features with carpets made in Birjand. Early examples are described as being of secondary quality in comparison with Meshad-Khorassan rugs. At the same time, Moud rugs were produced in large quantities for the middle-class domestic and Western markets. After the Second World War, some weavers moved away from traditional designs and produced rugs resembling those of other Persian weaving regions. They did so in response to demand from domestic and foreign export customers.

Knot density is an important point of distinction among Moud rugs. The general range given for Moud is 220,000 to 450,000 knots per square metre, described as a high density. A structure of this kind takes time to produce. The tradition includes both compact, finely articulated fields and designs with a more open arrangement. Moud rugs have been made in varied sizes, for smaller settings as well as for large rooms.

The region is also associated with rugs in which silk is used to highlight the sheen of the pile. Silk is often used for this purpose in Moud rugs, although it is not required in every example. The wool and silk pile specified for this rug therefore corresponds to a material relationship known in the Moud tradition. Birdjan and Kashmar are named as further carpet traditions from the same Persian region; neither designation changes the Moud origin of this rug.

Design and Pattern

The pattern of this rug is described as floral, with a fish motif and a medallion. The Herati design, whose fish motif is one of the identifying patterns of Moud rugs, occupies a large part of the field in many examples. Its components are formed from curving leaves, vines, and the distinctive fish shapes. The arrangement may be dense and repetitive, creating a continuous ornamental network across the field.

The central medallion establishes a clear point of focus within the floral composition. In Moud rugs, such a medallion may recall a star or a hexagon. It organizes the field around a centre and contrasts with an all-over arrangement, in which the ornament repeats without a strongly emphasized central element. This rug combines the floral treatment and fish motif with a central medallion.

In addition to Herati, Moud fields may use Boteh, lattice, and Minakhani designs. Boteh is also known as Paisley. The Minakhani pattern consists of rosettes connected by trellis or lattice elements. The Shah Abbas palmette, with leaves and vines, is another popular Moud motif. These designs may appear separately or be interwoven, demonstrating the range of floral ornament associated with Khorassan weaving.

The border has its own regional vocabulary. Khorassan borders commonly show large palmettes, leaves, and vines. Some Moud rugs also contain small rectangular borders with motifs drawn from Persian gardens. Such garden imagery is otherwise particularly associated with Bakhtiari rugs. The border frames the inner field and creates a transition between the central ornament and the outer edge.

Pomegranate red in the field is a customary colour feature of Moud rugs, and this red is associated with cochineal. A smaller proportion of rugs instead use a dark blue field. Borders, pattern elements, and outlines may also contain several shades of red, blue, beige, gold, green, cinnamon, brown, and grey. Strong blue and red can be set against a contrasting ivory background. These colour traditions describe the range found in Moud designs and do not assign an unstated colour distribution to this particular rug.

Special Features

This one-of-a-kind rug is described as like new. It has a knot density of 250000/Qm and a pile of 100% wool and silk on a 100% cotton warp. Hand-knotting, the Persian asymmetric knot, and the use of two weft threads belong to the established Moud method of production. As a design feature, this rug combines floral ornament and a fish motif with a central medallion.

Silk in the pile can emphasize the sheen of the surface. Moud rugs often use silk for this purpose, although it is not an essential feature of every example. In this rug, the material specification expressly identifies silk as part of the pile rather than as a separate decorative addition.

FAQ

What are the characteristic features of Moud rugs?

Moud rugs belong to the Persian Khorassan tradition and are associated with Mashad and the city of Moud. Their characteristic construction uses the Persian asymmetric knot, while their designs often include floral Shah Abbas palmettes. The Herati, or fish, pattern is especially distinctive. Pomegranate red is a customary field colour, although dark blue fields also occur. Moud rugs are made in varied sizes, and some use silk in the pile to add sheen.

Which traditional patterns are used in Moud rugs?

Traditional designs include Boteh, also called Paisley, Herati with fish motifs, lattice patterns, and Minakhani designs in which rosettes are linked by trellis elements. Borders show Khorassan ornament with large palmettes, leaves, and vines. Moud rugs may also feature Shah Abbas palmettes or Persian garden motifs in small rectangular borders. They are hand-knotted with the Persian asymmetric knot on a cotton foundation with a wool pile.

What is the significance of the city of Moud for carpet production?

Moud is described as a city south of Birdjan and Mashad and is associated with a long weaving tradition. Its rugs are known for distinctive designs, with the Herati pattern frequently dominant. Production takes place mainly in workshops, with occasional examples made on household looms. After the Second World War, some weavers adapted their designs to meet demand in domestic and foreign markets. Silk is used in some versions to emphasize the sheen of the pile.