Persian Rug Tabriz approx. 355×244 cm Wool Hand-knotted

Täbriz Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Persian rug is hand-knotted, with a pile of pure wool worked on a cotton warp. The two materials have different roles in the construction. The wool forms the visible surface, while the cotton provides the underlying warp structure that supports the rows of knots. The result is a textile in which the pile, the foundation and the drawn design are built together through manual knotting rather than through a printed or mechanically applied surface.

The listed knot density is approximately 100,000 knots per square metre. Knot density records the number of knots within a defined area and is a technical indication of the fineness of the work. In a hand-knotted rug, the pile is created knot by knot across the foundation. Each completed row contributes to the developing field and to the clarity of the design. Knot density therefore describes the construction of this rug; it does not replace the separate information about its materials, pattern or signed attribution.

The rug is attributed to the Täbriz tradition and carries the Nemat-Nejad signature. The signature can be seen in the photographs and is one of the identifying details of this individual piece. Its hand-knotted technique, wool pile, cotton warp and stated knot density describe the principal manufacturing characteristics. No additional pile material, silk content or alternative foundation is specified.

Origin and Tradition

Täbriz is a city in northwestern Persia with a long-established tradition of hand-knotted carpet production. Rugs associated with the city are known within Persian carpet culture as Täbriz rugs. The regional name represents more than a place reference: it also identifies a developed approach to drawing, proportion, colour arrangement and controlled execution. This rug is described as a Täbriz Persian rug and its design is specifically identified as a Täbriz pattern.

Carpet making in Täbriz is traced back to antiquity, with a history of more than 2,500 years given for knotting in the region. Across that long period, practical knowledge was transmitted through generations of designers and weavers. Preparing a design, organising colours and maintaining an even sequence of knots all belong to the discipline of the craft. The continuity of this knowledge is one reason Täbriz remains an important name in the history of Persian carpets.

A traditional carpet is developed through the cooperation of a drawn plan and manual work. A design may first be placed on paper so that the field, borders and individual motifs can be arranged before knotting begins. The selected colours are then introduced into the foundation according to the design. The image grows gradually, row after row, and the exact relationship between adjacent rows affects the continuity of lines and forms. This process gives the finished surface its characteristic woven structure.

The Täbriz tradition encompasses more than one visual language. Geometric arrangements, floral compositions, and historical or religious scenes all belong to the range of designs associated with Persian carpets from the region. A particular rug may therefore differ greatly from another while still using the ordered planning and precise execution associated with Täbriz. In this case, the pattern is identified as Täbriz and is dated to around 1970.

The Nemat-Nejad signature is the specific attribution recorded for this piece. It distinguishes the rug from an unsigned carpet that merely uses a related Täbriz vocabulary. The signature should be considered together with the pattern designation and the hand-knotted construction. It does not change the material description or the regional pattern name, but it forms part of the rug’s documented identity.

Design and Pattern

The design is described as a Täbriz pattern dating from around 1970. This places the rug within a Persian design tradition while also assigning it to a period in the second half of the twentieth century. The pattern designation describes the visual language of the rug; the Nemat-Nejad signature is a separate identifying detail. Both belong to the description of this one piece, but they answer different questions about it.

Täbriz designs are often built around a carefully organised composition. A drawn carpet may include a central field, surrounding borders and smaller motifs that connect the principal areas. Depending on the individual design, floral forms can repeat in a measured rhythm while geometric lines establish the structure of the composition. Other Täbriz designs use historical or religious imagery. These possibilities show the breadth of the regional tradition without assigning a motif to this particular rug that is not named in the source.

In a hand-knotted carpet, the pattern is not painted onto a finished surface. It is formed by arranging coloured knots according to the design. From a distance, the separate knots read as a unified field of colour and form. At closer range, the small-scale construction remains visible as the basis of the image. Knot density can support the rendering of fine transitions and small details, but it is the placement and sequence of colours that create the pattern itself.

Persian carpet design uses many kinds of floral and geometric elements. Leaves, blossoms, vines, medallions, borders and repeated ornaments can be combined in different ways. Their meaning depends on the design and its cultural context. In a Täbriz composition, the relationship among the motifs is as important as any individual sign. Balance, repetition, symmetry and the treatment of the surrounding border can all contribute to the way a pattern is read.

The circa-1970 date also places the design in a period when established regional forms continued to be made by workshops. Traditional Täbriz arrangements could be carried forward while being executed in carpets from a modern era. The result is not simply an old pattern detached from its time, but a hand-knotted work identified with a particular period and a continuing Persian tradition. This rug is therefore described through all three elements: Täbriz pattern, circa 1970 and Nemat-Nejad signature.

Special Features

The notable details of this one-off rug are its Nemat-Nejad signature, its hand-knotted construction, its pure-wool pile on a cotton warp and its approximate density of 100,000 knots per square metre. The signature is visible in the photographs. It gives the rug a specific identifying mark beyond the general designation Täbriz and belongs to the provenance information supplied for the piece.

The condition is described as very good, with minimal wear to the fringes. These statements work together: the overall condition is very good, while minor signs of use are present at the fringes. The rug is also freshly washed. No other restoration, repair or alteration is listed. The condition description therefore records both the positive overall assessment and the small area where use is specifically noted.

The combination of the signed attribution, the Täbriz pattern from around 1970 and the stated construction gives this rug a distinct profile. Each detail refers to a different aspect: the signature identifies Nemat-Nejad, the pattern names the regional design tradition, the date places the design in time, and the materials explain the structure. Together these facts describe this individual hand-knotted Persian rug without adding an unrecorded provenance or motif.

FAQ

Where does this Persian rug come from?

The rug is described as a Täbriz Persian rug. Täbriz is in northwestern Persia and is recognised for its tradition of hand-knotted carpets. The specific provenance detail supplied for this piece is the Nemat-Nejad signature, which is visible in the photographs. Its pattern is also identified as a Täbriz pattern. No village, individual weaver or more precise workshop history is given, so the origin is stated as Täbriz together with the recorded signature.

What materials are used in the rug?

The pile is made from pure wool and the warp is cotton. Wool forms the visible pile, while cotton forms the foundation into which the knots are inserted. The rug is hand-knotted and has an approximate density of 100,000 knots per square metre. No further material is listed, and the description does not state that silk or another fibre is present. The material information therefore remains limited to wool pile and cotton warp.

What condition is the rug in?

The rug is in very good condition. The description also notes minimal wear to the fringes, so this small area of use is part of the condition record. It has been freshly washed. No major damage, restoration or repair is mentioned. The photographs show the Nemat-Nejad signature and provide a visual reference for the individual piece alongside the written condition description.