Meshkin Rug | © Rugman

Origin of Meshkin Rugs

Meshkinshahr is a small village in northwestern Iran in the rugged mountains of Azerbaijan.

Iran Maps

Meshkin, Ardabil, Iran | © Rugman

History of Meshkin Rugs

This ancient region of Iran is very renowned for rug weaving. It has a rich history that dates back a long time. Here, in these rugged and mountainous conditions, much like many other parts of Iran, almost all the men and women have the talent and skill to weave high quality carpets by hand, with no use of modern technology whatsoever.

In some cases, rug weaving is the family’s main source of income. They trade the rugs in nearby cities with local merchants for staples and necessities of the home. A few regions and towns that are included in this Turkish region of Iran are Ardabil, Bakhshaish, Gharadjeh (Gharabagh), Goravan, Heriz, Mehriban, Sarab, and Shahsavan.

Their weaving style originates partly from Mongols who invaded Iran in the 13th century, and settled the northwest. This historic region of Iran and some parts of Turkey and Uzbekistan have really been significant in the forming of the present day carpet industry. Carpet weaving has long been a custom of theirs and they continue to weave them everyday.

Characteristics of Meshkin Rugs

  • Material and Knots

Meshkin Rug

Meshkin Rug Infobox | © WikiRug

Weavers of these regions usually use their own symmetrical Turkish double knotting style, which tends to be dense and tightly packed down. The asymmetrical Persian knot can also be seen in cities such as Ardabil. The pile of these rugs is thick lustrous wool , handspun from local sheep. Cotton is the material of choice for the foundation because it is very strong. However, goat hair can also be seen in some Turkish tribal carpets. In a few regions such as Ardabil, silk is blended in with the wool pile to produce a gorgeous rug. The quality in Meshkinshahr rugs is fairly good and they tend to be very sturdy. Meshkinshahr usually makes very long runners.

  • Color

The colors in a Meshkin rug may be any combination of warm red, olive and teal greens, dark navy blue, and taupe. An authentic Meshkin will definitely bring the warmth and magic onto the floor as it was originally designed to.

Natural vegetable and root dyes are mainly used for the coloring of the rugs. These rugs are generally very sturdy and hardwearing and they still use the brilliant weaving techniques that they used thousands of years ago.

  • Design and Pattern

The patterns are strictly simple and geometric usually with diamond central medallions. The rugs of Meshkinshahr are all handmade and each an exotic and unique work of tribal art.

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