Sultanabad Rugs History

The city of Sultanabad, also known as Arak today, is located in western Iran on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains. The town was founded in 1808 and later became one of the main centers of carpet weaving in Iran. The region quickly became famous for its cultural and artistic industries such as metalworking and rug weaving. The history of carpet weaving in Sultanabad dates back to about 700 years ago.

                     Antique Sultanabad carpet

In addition to the Sultanabad rug, other exquisite rugs are also produced in this region that are world-famous. The Sarouk rugs and the Lilian and Farahan rugs are all among the best carpets in this region. The Sultanabad rug is of particular importance in the world and its designs are inspired by the designs of William Morris. He was a British poet, textile designer, and artist who was interested in handmade rugs and began producing them in the British Isles.

In the late 19th century, the Ziegler & Co. company in England, which was a manufacturer and importer of English, Persian, and Swiss rugs, inspired by the designs of William Morris, decided to establish a carpet weaving workshop in Sultanabad. To boost exports to Europe and America, the company brought great designers to the region to adapt the designs of the Safavid era to Western tastes and to enlarge the size of the rugs so that they would be the size of Western rooms. They repainted the traditional designs to match Western tastes. The antique Sultanabad rugs with their special colors and overall designs attracted many foreign fans. A large number of these oriental carpets were exported to America and Europe until the early 20th century. 

                          Sultanabad rug

Sultanabad Rug Designs

It may seem that Sultanabad rugs are most similar to Heriz rugs. The weavers of these rugs may have been invited to work on the production of Sultanabad rugs! But we must consider that in Heriz rugs and Bakhshaish rugs, the weavers tended to weave geometric and angular designs, while Sultanabad carpets tried to maintain the curved designs of classic Iranian rugs. Most Sultanabad carpets have large floral designs and all-over designs that are easily seen. A few also have medallions, like other Iranian carpets such as Tabriz rugs.

    Ziegler Sultanabad rug from Farmand collection

The designs are symmetrical and with beautiful borders, the few repetitions create a sense of spaciousness. Some of these antique carpets are also known as Ziegler Sultanabad rug, which is because of the direct supervision of this Austrian company during the weaving of the carpet. Sultanabad carpets are always majestic and luxurious. They give a luxurious look to your rooms. At the same time as these carpets, Farahan and Sarouk rugs were also woven in that region, but they were of different quality. Also, Sarouk and Farahan rugs were smaller in size than the Sultanabad rugs.

                       Huge Sultanabad rug

Sultanabad Rugs Features

• The knot density is usually 70 to 150 knots per square inch. Of course, some have a density of 300 KPSI.
• Soft wool is used for the pile and cotton for the warp and weft.
• Sultanabad rugs are woven with an asymmetrical Persian knot.
• Ivory, rustic, blue, yellow, and pink colors are often seen in these rugs.
• They have long and soft piles.
• They have simpler designs than other Iranian rugs.
• These rugs are woven in dimensions larger than 6 square meters.

                               New Sultanabad rug

Sultanabad Rugs for Sale

Today, most carpets produced in Arak are sold under the name Sultanabad. The price of Sultanabad rugs depends on the quality of the weave and the method of dyeing. These rugs are among the most attractive decorative carpets, whose beautiful and bold designs give a pleasant look to your home and attract everyone’s attention. If you love buying Sultanabad rugs, you can contact our colleagues at the Vernacarpets online collection.

Antique Sultanabad Rug