Few items capture the charm and mystique of the Orient better than a Persian rug, just like how few things can rival it in craftsmanship. Each Persian rug is painstakingly made by hand, and everything from the fibers to the dyes used is made from organic materials. Striking enough by itself, a single Persian rug makes for a beautiful complement to virtually any kind of decor.

First created in Iran the Persian is perhaps the oldest known rug. At that time it was called the Pazyryk carpet thought. The first one known to be made half a millennium ago. At the time that this rug was made it had 232 knots, that's a lot, over a square inch. With more study it was shown that rugs lost a bit of popularity over the next millennium. Fewer drawings were shown of rugs. Perhaps the best known Persian is the Ardabil, a classic style that showed not only a beautiful arabesque design, but also had a nice poetic inscription on it.

There are different sizes of Persians, just like any other rug. The names for these sizes and the category they go in are as follows. A Persian that is 6 x 4 is known as a Qalicheh. If the rug is larger than that it is in the category known as Qalii. For those Persians that are created by other groups of people such as those that live in Southeastern Europe or Pakistan these will be placed in the Kilim category.

Size is a very important factor for Persian rugs, and a formal convention is used for them. Qalicheh are those rugs that measure up to six feet by four feet, while Qalii is anything larger than the Qalicheh dimensions. A separate class, Kilim, is used for rugs produced by nomadic groups that live between Southeast Europe and Pakistan.

Layout and design are considered together when creating Persian rugs. Patterns can usually range from central medallions, all-over designs and one-sided images. Motifs are a big part of design for Persian rugs, and that much is apparent in almost every rug you're likely to see. Different formal motifs can be interpreted to carry different meanings, though several motifs could be used on a single design.

These rugs are a huge and popular industry. Just in 2008 alone it is said that $420 million of these rugs were exported to other countries. There are thought to be around 1.2 million people in Iran who work as weavers of these Persian rugs.

These Persian rugs are sure to remain a classic item for many in their homes. The art has been passed on from generation to generation and will continue to go on.

Persian rugs remain a premium and classic item for decor, not just because they're attractive themselves but ebecause of the centuries of heritage that they represent. No matter what theme or motif you're doing in your home, a Persian rug will definitely fit in - and stand out - among your decor.

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