 Mashad
rugs originate from the holy city of Mashad, capital city of the
province of Khorasan in northeastern Iran, is famous for the shrine of
the eighth Shiite Imam, Imam Reza. Mashad is a great weaving center for
Persian carpets in addition to being a trade center for the Persian
carpets of its neighboring villages and tribes. Most Mashad rugs are
woven in workshops in the city, although there are some that are
created on home looms. They are woven with the asymmetrical the Persian
knot, although the symmetrical Turkish knot is found on occasion.
Mashad rugs are known for their curvilinear designs. The most
frequently used is the Shah Abbas design - a large center medallion and
very unique elongated corners. The Shah Abbas design on Mashad rugs
almost always has a dark red background and uses dark blue for the
medallion, corners, and border. The Herati and Boteh designs are also
commonly used on Mashad rugs, usually in an all-over repeating or an
endless repeat. You may find Mashad rugs with the Herati motif marketed
under the name Khorasan, making them quite difficult to recognize as
Mashad by inexperienced buyers. There are a few unique characteristics
of Mashad rugs. One is their elongated corners. The other is the
exclusive use of deep red for the background and dark blue for the
medallion, corners, and the border.
The foundations on Mashad rugs are cotton, while the pile is wool.
Mashad is well known for producing some of the best wool in Iran and
the wool is used exclusively in its Persian carpets. Although available
in many different sizes, the majority of Mashad rugs are large.
Generally less expensive than many other types of Persian carpets, the
Mashads add decorative value to your home in addition to being a good
investment.
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