Iran has been given the name the mystical land of the Persian Carpet. The most creative and imaginative patterns come from Iran. The patterns constitute a language of symbolism. The motifs are an artistic expression in its truest sense. Patterns also convey a wealth of mystical symbolism and the various colours used express different shades of thought. It is therefore, appropriate to categorize the oriental carpet into City, Village and Tribal styles.
 

THE CITY STYLE

The carpets above are classic examples of the city style. The production of handknotted rugs in the cities is an organized affair. The facilities are advanced, superior and permanent. The urban areas are able to sustain full time rug weaving industries. Weavers are readily available and many of them are skilled and innovative in the art form. Artists created designs on a cartoon with indications of colour and design recorded with talam or code, which then the weavers translated into carpets. City dyers are also able to achieve a wide range of colours, which are more consistent because of the organized dyeing process. Furthermore, the availability of very good and stable artificial/chemical dyes made it possible to produce carpets in a variety of colour and shades to compliment the fashion of time.

  THE VILLAGE STYLE

       The basic order of design found in village rugs are primarily rectilinear or geometric. The adherence to this particular order is attributed first, to the geometric designs composed  of straight lines, namely horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines which are simple and easy to achieve. The other distinguishing characteristic of village rugs are its deep pile, the use of brilliant colours and its somewhat charming finish.  With reference to the carpet above, it is a segment of a Persian Heriz which typically defined the village style. Often, the linear lines are a direct interpretation of floral or curvilinear motifs.
 
 

Persian Abadeh - Another classic example of the village style with deisgn depicting strong linear lines executed very finely. Note the use of interesting contrasting colours.

THE TRIBAL STYLE

 

PERSIAN MESHAD BELOUCH-

Typical example of the Tribal style
where the design element is purely of a geometric nature. However, the tribal design differs from the village ones in more than one way. While the village designs are products of settled weavers, the tribal designs are done by nomadic people during their leisure hours. In spite of the obstacles of tribal life, the primitive minds found time to express their creative talents, drawing inspiration from the environment around them, their cultures, tradition and heritage. The tribal design is clearly a non verbal attempt to bring clarity and meaning to life while conveying a wealth of mystical symbolism