Persian Heriz Rugs

History of Heriz hand-woven rugs

The city of Heriz is located in the northwest of Iran and 60 km from the city of Tabriz. Although these two cities are close to each other, their styles are very different. Heriz hand-woven rugs are recognizable because of their special design. Unlike other Iranian rugs, these are usually large and geometric.

A central octagonal medallion, with large borders (Lachakes), dominates the rug. You can see it at a glance. The Persian Heriz rug is well known in America and Canada. Many palaces in Europe and America are decorated with this magnificent rug. If you want to buy a Heriz hand-woven rug, learn its features first. Then stay with us.

Heriz carpet in White-house

In The Persian Carpet, Cecil Edwards writes: “A few years ago, I visited a village in Heriz. An unusual rug with a beautiful design on a loom caught my attention. I asked the weaver to show me her plan. She took a square handkerchief from a box in the corner of the workshop. It was like the handkerchiefs made in Manchester for export to the east. Its border was made of flowers and bushes with bergamot and lath in its corner. White and red colors were used in these motifs. The rug-weaver woman had woven a perfect, colorful rug with this pattern. The Lachak-Toranj pattern appeared perfectly and at the right intervals in this rug. But all the lines of the pattern were used in broken form. “

Arthur Cecil Edwards , Iranian carpet dealer and reference

What are the characteristics of Heriz handmade rug?

Durability Heriz rug

One of the reasons for the durability of Heriz wool carpets is the type of wool in this region. Researchers of handwoven rugs believe it is due to copper mines in the rivers where the sheep drink. For this reason, they have flexible and durable wool. To express the quality of Heriz carpets in one sentence: you can use them for over ten years.

Texture

Iranian Heriz rugs are often woven with long piles and with the double weft technique. The Turkish (symmetric) knot is used in the texture of these rugs. Also, a heavy comb (about three kilos) is used to beat the wefts while weaving the Heriz wool area carpet. This makes the carpet stronger.

Weavers weave Heriz carpets with wool and cotton. There are 25 to 45 nodes per 7 cm. The Heriz carpet is almost low density. But it is a carpet with long piles. Due to the presence of these piles, you feel comfortable when walking on it.

High thickness

One reason the people of the Heriz region weave rugs is the long, harsh winters. These carpets, which have a thick weave, are also used as warm underlays.

Another feature of the Heriz hand-woven carpet is its warmth. It helps rheumatic patients recover. Walking and lying on the rug reduces joint pain.

Heriz rug Patterns

A feature of Heriz regional rug designs and maps is their lack of curved lines. Instead, they use narrow geometric shapes and broken lines. We should name the maps used in the Heriz region: Tajeri, Sabouri, Rozgol, Hayat-Gol, Tavakli, Samadkhan, and Chalangari, Afshan, etc.

The Lachak-Toranj is the most common pattern, and it divides into different names based on the type of medal. Besides Heriz, nearby areas such as Mehraban, Sharbian, Goravan, Qaraje, and Bakhshayesh weave similar designs.

Another point about Heriz rug design is the use of large square and rectangular medallions. The original design of the Iranian Heriz carpet gives it a modern feel. Thus, it has a special place in modern décor.

Color

Heriz area rugs symbolize the contrast of dark and light colors. But in general, most of these carpets have a dark color. And the reason for this is the great interest in using colors such as dark red, crimson, brown, and beige.

The area’s plants are used to dye Heriz rugs. They are Majnoon root, copper, onion skin, black wood, walnut skin, and other local plants. Iron oxide and white alum are also used as catalysts. The older carpets were red and indigo. But today, red, cream, black, and copper colors are used.

What were handkerchiefs or cloth maps?

In the past, Heriz rug weavers used handkerchiefs as maps for rug weaving. In the local language, they were called “cheshni.” These handkerchiefs were white cotton cloth, 20 x 30 cm or slightly larger. A desired map was drawn on them with a brush or pencil. These designs were used by weavers for at least a century.

The important thing about these handkerchiefs was their designs. They were always in the form of curved lines. The carpet weavers, however, used their imagination and taste. So, the woven designs appeared in a semi-geometric shape.

Map of Heriz rug in past

After visiting the Heriz area and seeing these handkerchiefs, Cecil Edwards writes in his book: “The tendency of the carpet weavers of this area to change the curved lines to straight lines or to change the revolving design to broken is clearly seen. Just ask the weavers to show their design. This design consists of a piece of cotton measuring 6 x 9 inches, on which the design of a quarter of the carpet is drawn. Although this design is curved, it always breaks when placed on the carpet. With an occasional look at the pattern, they can weave the carpet to any extent. It is an amazing skill, an instinctive and intuitive skill in planning. It has not been seen anywhere else except among the rug weavers of Heriz and the Usak region of Turkey.”

Today, these handkerchiefs have been forgotten and checkered maps are used like in other regions, which has caused the misuse of other countries and the textures of similar rugs.

Heriz area rug in the living room

Rug is an important element in living room design. The living room is one of the most frequented places in the house. Family members spend a lot of time in the living room. For this reason, it is better to choose the rug for the living room in such a way that we can use it the most.

A Heriz area rug in the living room can be both functional and beautiful! With a suitable rug, our living room can become a pleasant space where you can rest and relax.

A Heriz hand-woven rug in the living room can also increase the safety of children or the elderly and prevent any injuries due to its softness. In the following, we point out some principles of the arrangement of Heriz carpets in the living room:

• Choose a good-sized rug for the living room. It is better to use one carpet of the right size instead of several small rugs.
• The rug should always be at least 20 to 30 cm away from the wall.
• If the space of the living room is large and you have a large rug, you can arrange the furniture on the rug.
• If the rug is not big enough, you can place the two front legs of the sofa on the rug.
• Avoid placing a heavy TV table or a console table on a handmade regional rug.
• The dining table should be 60 to 80 cm from the sofa. It should be on the rug. This hides neither the rug pattern nor the table’s normal distance.

You can study this article: Vintage Carpet and Its Types

Vintage Heriz rugs

Heriz area rugs are considered used if they are used for more than 20 years. If 40 to 80 years have passed, they are called vintage carpets. You can use vintage Heriz area rugs in high-traffic areas of the house, even where there are kids and pets.

These rugs have been in families for generations. They have stood the test of time. These rugs are easy to stain and durable. You will have a vintage hand-knotted Heriz rug at home, which is very rare and whose value increases day by day.

Heriz hand-woven vintage rugs are completely environmentally friendly and suitable for our planet! The old Heriz rugs became antiques. They are now popular with collectors.

More read here: Our Earth Needs Green Eco-Friendly Rugs

The advantage of vintage Heriz rugs compared to antique Heriz rugs is that they do not wear out and have relatively high health. We offer various rugs in the VernaCarpets collection. If you want to buy an authentic vintage Heriz rug, ask us for advice.

Buy Heriz rug online

Heriz handwoven rugs are versatile due to their geometric designs. Their warm, deep colors make them a favorite of interior designers. The Heriz handmade rugs’ price depends on various factors. Is this rug an original Heriz rug or is it for the surrounding areas? How big is it? Is it in perfect health or does it have defects? The age of the rug is another parameter that has a direct effect on the price of the rug.

In this article, we tried to share with you useful information about Heriz hand-knotted rugs. If you are interested in knowing the price of a Heriz rug, you can contact us. Remember, buying an Iranian Heriz rug is a great investment.

Dyeing Persian rug