Buying guide · 8 min

Persian rug vs Turkish rug: key differences

Editorial team · updated 2026-10-03

Common differences

  • Knot: Persian rugs often use the asymmetrical knot; Turkish rugs the symmetrical one (but both occur in Iran)
  • Design: Persian city rugs favour curvilinear florals; Anatolian rugs bold geometric designs
  • Origin: made in Iran vs made in Turkey

Why it matters

Different traditions, not better or worse. Buy the rug you love, but expect honest labelling.

A note on this guide

This guide is general information from the CraftPersia editorial team and has not been reviewed by a specialist. Prices, workshop locations and practices change; check current details before travelling or buying.

Related photographs

Related photographs: Wikimedia Commons photograph
Author unconfirmed; Commons attributes Fabienkhan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Image source ↗

Representative photographs, not of any specific catalogued object. Sources on the credits page.