History of Heriz Rugs

 Sought after for their classic allure that defies fashion trends, Herizes were woven in northwestern Persian villages beginning in the early nineteenth century. The Heriz weaving district was stimulated by nearby Tabrizi merchants who marketed these rugs to Europe and the United States, where they became popular in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

     Destined for Western buyers solely as decorative floor coverings, the coarsely woven Herizes are most often produced in room-sized dimensions. Herizes dated from before 1910 are often coined "Serapi", a term alluding to the finest and oldest weave but often used to stimulate sales of newer rugs. This term does not designate provenance; in fact, the term Serapi is also indicative of a design scheme characterized by a field with sparse elements, a large scale medallion, and soft, muted hues of brick red.

Typical Herizes, on the other hand, feature many elements in the field, a large scale rectilinear medallion, and corner spandrels exhibiting a stylized leaf and palmette design within a border filled with a Herati repeat. Pieces with all over patterning are rare. Post-1930 Herizes reveal busier and more crowded patterns. Associated with Herizes due to their close region of origin are late nineteenth-century rustic Bakshaishes, which often feature a plain field with an unusual central medallion, such as an elongated diamond filled with small geometric repeats. The frequent use of undyed natural camel wool is another characteristic of many Bakshaishes.

     Nineteenth - and early - twentieth- century pieces feature madder grounds with indigo hues and accents of rose, ivory, and khaki. In the 1930s, harsh synthetic dyes came into use, which was often fugitive and is responsible for the muddied look of many carpets from that era.

      Many of today's new Heriz- inspired rugs-reinterpreted in most rug-producing countries including India, China, Pakistan, and Egypt-mark a return to pure, sparse traditional elements and feature vegetable dyes characteristic of their older counterparts.

Tapis Rugs carries a wide selection of Heriz rugs, below is just a few...

Antique Persian Heriz in 10x13