The diversity of cultures and regions that produce Oriental Rugs has created a wide spectrum of designs, color pallettes, and weaving techniques that reflects the artistic tastes of each culture.

When examining the art of rug weaving it is very easy to become confused. The terms used to identify rugs are typically very broad and therefore makes it difficult to understand the specifics about any one particular rug. It is important to understand which terms refer to styles, countries of origin, patterns or the city where the rug was produced. If the terms are broken down into specific categories the understanding of this art form can be considerably simplified.

The term ORIENTAL RUG is a generic term which encompasses all handmade rugs no matter where the rug has been produced. As you look more specifically at Oriental Rugs you can then classify rugs into two different Styles : Chinese and Indian/Persian. Again this can become confusing because this classification is broad and does not help identify specifics about the rug.

A CHINESE RUG is not necessarily made in China, the term refers to the Style of the rug rather than the country of origin. A Chinese Style rug is one which typically has a large scale pattern of flowers or symbols, and it is almost always carved or sculptured to enhance the clarity of the pattern.

INDIAN/PERSIAN RUG is also a broad reference to the Style of a handmade piece. A Persian Style rug will usually have a more intricate design and in most cases will have a flat sheared surface.

Neither term, Persian or Chinese refers to the country or region in which the rug was produced. Persian Style rugs are produced in INDIA, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, North Africa and even China. Chinese Style rugs are produced in China, Tibet and even in India. If you learn to identify the Style type you can then take the identification process one step further and begin to try to identify the specific country of origin.

Trying to identify a specific country of origin can be a difficult process. Each region or country usually produces rugs that share similarities in their weaving techniques and workmanship. With the opportunity to look, feel, and compare rugs on a regular basis you can start to identify the differences and similarities, in the knots, the weave, and the overall workmanship from each region.