ISFAHAN

Isfahan is located in the heart of Persia, 1600 meters above sea level. The former capital of the Persian Empire it boasts one of the biggest groupings of monuments in all Iran and is one of the country's most important centres for craft and artistic production. In fact, the artisans of Isfahan are famous for their skills in several fields: from engraving metals, to decorating pottery, to rug-making. The Isfahan rugs are among the finest in Persia and may feature up to 1,000,000 knots per square meter in both contemporary and earlier (19th-20th century) items. Most contemporary rugs can be recognized by the fact that the warps are made of silk and by their typical colours (red, blue, dusty blue and beige) which distinguish them from finely knotted rugs made in other districts. Isfahan rugs are often signed in a cartouche at the end, to bear witness to the expertise and skill of those who make the patterns and do the knotting. The pile is made of the finest kork wool and silk that is used to accent the outlines of the motifs. The patterns are often centred on a round medallion and the fine workmanship makes it possible for them to abound in details. Frequently, Isafahan rugs have tree of life patterns and therefore the entire design is asymmetrical. There are also outstanding examples among the antique rugs, especially those dating from the end of the 19th to the early 20th centuries when rug-knotting was resumed after a long period of having been consigned to the margins of the craftsmen's world.