Khorasan Rugs

Khorasan — "Land of the Rising Sun" in Persian — is the vast northeastern province of Iran that has produced carpets for over two millennia. The weaving hub is Mashhad (Iran's second-largest city), but the tradition spans the entire region including Birjand, Dorokhsh, Sabzevar, Gonabad, and dozens of villages. Khorasan rugs use the asymmetric Persian knot on a cotton foundation with wool pile; large-format room-sized rugs are typical, and the region is particularly associated with the Herati pattern — the iconic fish-and-arabesque design that originated here and spread throughout the Persian carpet world.

The palette is distinctive: strong madder reds and indigo blues that sometimes merge into a subtle purple-violet cast unique to Khorasan. Medallion compositions dominate, with the characteristic "rounds" (often unusually circular rather than pointed) and grounds alive with coiling Herati arabesque. City-workshop quality pieces from Mashhad are sophisticated and precise; village pieces from Birjand and the surrounding area have more rustic vitality.

The range is wide — from city-workshop quality at the higher end to accessible village pieces — making Khorasan one of the most democratic regions in Persian carpet production. Mid to collector grade; the finest antique Khorasan pieces are held in major museum collections.