Genuine Hand made Persian Rug carpet MAHAL

The Mahals are hand-woven in the region known as the Mahallat, near Arak the capital of the province of Markad, which sits in west-central Iran. The history of this region is very rich and its rug weaving industry dates back many centuries. The carpets usually employ the famous 'Herati' design. This is an elegant all-over pattern which suits modern or traditional interiors. Color schemes using beige and chocolate or beige and terra cotta are particularly popular with designers.

History & Construction

A very important rug-producing district in Iran, Arak (formerly known as Sultanabad) is located in the central north-west of Iran, south of the province of Zanjan in the province of Markad. Some of these areas include Mahallat, Ferahan and Lylyan, and a few of the more prominent neighboring towns and villages are: Malayer, Meshkabad, Mirabad, Seraband, Sarough, Jozan, along with many small Kurdish villages and settlements. All these neighboring villages produce carpets that are marketed in Arak. There has been strong Kurdish influences on their style of weaving, and some traces of Turkish ancestry can also be seen. It was in Arak that the Manchester firm of Ziegler's first opened an office in 1883. Originally an importer, the firm soon realized the financial advantages of starting a carpet factory in this region to produce items to be marketed in Europe and the USA. It has been estimated that by the turn of the century, Ziegler controlled over 2,500 looms in this district. The Mahallat produces the very high quality Mahal, and Sarough also produces exquisite pieces. Lylyans tend to look more tribal, as do many rugs made in the smaller villages. Ferahans and Serabands are very recognizable from their high quality weave and rich history. Mirabad also produces a very high quality carpet known as Mir. The material used for the pile is usually wool, the dyes being mainly vegetable. The rugs are woven using asymmetrical Persian knots. Although not uncommon in older or antique pieces, silk is rarely used. In rare cases the rug has a pile of silk and wool. Cotton, or more rarely goat hair, is used for the foundation, and the pile is hand-spun from the weaver's own sheep