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.