10 Foot Persian Mashhad Wool Carpet. Lovely cream center field with repeating floral patterns and a restrained central flower medallion, and darker tones of red and blue in the borders with repeating floral patterns as well. 

Size: 122 x 78 1/2 in. 

Mashhad (also written Mashad) is the second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country, and has been controlled by a multitude of ethnic groups over the last millennium. Mashhad was initially a small village, which by the 9th Century had been known as Sanabad, and which was located along with Tus and other important oases on the ancient Silk Road connecting them with Merv to the east. Mashhad would eventually outgrow all its surrounding villages, and today boasts over 3.5 million residents. A religious site as well as a cultural hub, the diversity and complexities of their rugs showcases both of these, incorporating a diverse range of styles and icons from multiple nations and religions. The weaving practices here can be traced back to the late middle ages during the Timurid Empire, evolving the growing city into a prominent center for the Iranian rug industry. With easy access to locally sourced high-quality wool, Mashad rug weavers never needed to look far for materials to use, but their strategic position allowed them to include silk and other cutting-edge textiles into their pieces throughout their history. Today weavers typically use a combination of cotton and wool, with the pile made from the highest-quality wool, giving the rugs their famed soft, luxurious, and lustrous look and feel. Weavers from around the country are known to travel to Mashhad specifically to master the art of extracting dyes from vegetation and other materials found in the area, bringing back these traditions to their tribes and villages. Some of these plants and materials are only found in the Khorassan region, which often means Mashad rugs have some unique colors like cochineal and deep purple that aren’t often found in other Persian rugs, and some regions especially import a special color at a premium for their own traditional rugs. This continues to make Mashhad one of the most economically powerful areas in the country, despite its otherwise unusual location away from any rivers, seaports, or modern trade routes.

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.