Afshar rugs: tribal and village weaving of Kerman province

Who the Afshar are

The Afshar are a Turkic-speaking group with branches in several parts of Iran. The best-known rugs come from Afshar villages and pastoral groups south-west of Kerman, around Sirjan.

Construction

Afshar rugs use wool or cotton warps, often with red-dyed wefts, and either knot type. Many are small: rugs, bags and saddle covers. Ends are often finished with a plain-weave strip.

• Red or pink wefts are common
• Small to medium sizes
• Lustrous wool on good pieces
• Kilim end strips

Designs

Look for repeating diamond medallions, chicken or rooster motifs, boteh rows and vase-and-flower designs borrowed from Kerman workshops.

Afshar versus Kerman

Kerman city carpets are curvilinear, finely knotted workshop pieces. Afshar rugs are usually coarser, more geometric and made in homes or villages.

Buying checklist

• Ask the seller what the regional name is based on: town, village group or design only
• Turn the rug over and look at knot type, warp colour and weft count
• Check ends, sides and pile height for wear or re-weaving
• Ask whether dyes have run or been chemically washed
• Look for repairs on bag faces that have been opened and sold as rugs
• Get any claim about age, region or handmade origin in writing

Care

Small Afshar rugs are often used in hallways. Use a non-slip underlay and vacuum without beater bars to protect the wool.

A note on this guide

This is general information from the CraftPersia editorial team and has not been reviewed by a specialist. Regional names in the rug trade are market labels, and design alone is weak evidence of origin. This guide is not a valuation or authentication.