Ahar Persian Area Rugs

Ahar is a small village in Northwestern Iran in the region near Tabriz and Gharabagh. The people of Ahar are mainly Turco-Persians with some semi-nomadic habits. The rugs that are produced in Ahar are mainly smaller pieces and mostly long runners. The colors are mainly earth tones including rust, and warm reds and taupes. The quality in these rugs is very good and they make ideal floor coverings for medium to high traffic areas. Much like most other villages in this part of Iran, rug weaving is not only one of the main industries, but also an old tradition. The designs in these rugs are often geometric as is the case with most of the rugs from the area. A trully unique work of tribal art, an Ahar Persian rug is bound to warmth and happiness to its new home.

History of Ahar 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, Gharajeh, Goravan, Heriz, Mehraban, 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 every day.

Construction of Ahar Rugs

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. 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.