Yazd is an old Iranian city on the caravan route on the western edge of the Dasht-i Lut (salt desert). It is also noted as the home of the Zoroastrian faith. The city and surrounding area produce carpets very similar to Kerman. In Oriental Rugs Yazd Jacobsen noted that most if rug dealers were shown a picture they would call it a Kerman. The term "made in Yazd" means well made in Iran. The rugs are typically in the style of Kerman but when Kerman cheapened the weave Yazd did not. Currently Yazd carpets have a lower knot count but overall the quality is much higher.

Carpets for export are generally in soft pastel colors. However Yazd carpets are extremely popular in Iran for domestic use. The rugs for the Persian home market have very bold colors.

Special thanks to my dear friend Dr. Khosrow Sobhe for his help with this guide. See www.rugidea.com Yazd Rugs

Persian Rugs: Guide To Yazd Rugs and Carpets

Yazd Carpet, circa 1910 lot 171

Yazd Carpet Circa 1910 lot 140

Similar Rugs

Yazd Carpets are very similar to Kerman carpets in design but use thicker yarn giving a lower knot count. Yazd carpets are sturdier and do not have the fake field knots seen in some Kerman Carpets. Yazd are more likely to have blue (or lavender) wefts
Hamadan city rugs may look like a Kerman but have symmetrical knots
Borchelu Rugs may resemble Yazd rugs but are single wefted.
Kashmar Rugs from Khorasan may look like a Yazd but are more flexible with finer warps and wefts.

A woman walking through a passage in Yazd

The Yazd Bazaar Photo IRNA

Internet Resources For Yazd Rugs

Persian Rugs & Carpets - Yazd

Jozan: Yazd rugs and carpets, Yazd photo gallery

Yazd rugs YAZD carpets Antique Yazd Persain rugs Oldcarpet.com ...

Golshan cistern in Yazd Photo IRNA.

Yazd Rug, Yazd proper and the surrounding area, Iran.

Size: Most rugs are from 8 x 10 to 11 x 16.

Structure: Asymmetrical knot open to the right. 100 to 170 is normal in carpets with some pieces up to 250 knots per square inch.

Yarn Spin: Z.

Warp: White cotton

Weft: 2 shots blue cotton.

Pile: 2 wool singles.

Ends: Overhand knots with warp fringe.

Selvages: Multi cord overcastting wool.

Handle: Light - medium.

From Sir John Chardin Travels in Persia 1673-1677

"The Gold Velvet that's wrought in Persia is very charming, especially the curl'd Velvet and all those rich Stuffs, have that admirable Property, that they last for Ever as it were, and the Gold and Silver does not wear off whilst the Work lasts, and keeps still its Colour and brightness: 'Tis true the Silver tarnishes at length, after twenty or thirty Years; yet then it cloth not come off, which I think ought to be imputed to the clearness of the Air, as much as to the goodness of the Work. The finest Looms for those Stuffs, are at Yazd, at Cashan, and likewise at Ispahan; those for Carpets are in the Province of Kirman, and especially at Sistan. Those are the Carpets we commonly call in Europe, Turky Carpets, because they brought them through Turky before they traded with the Persians by the Ocean. The Persians Rule to know good Carpets, and to Rate them by, is to lay their Thumb on the edge of the Carpet and to tell the Threads in a Thumb's breadth, for the more there are, the dearer the Work is: The most Threads there are in an Inch breadth is fourteen or fifteen." Sir John Chardin Travels in Persia 1673-1677 Book Two http://www.iras.ucalgary.ca/~volk/sylvia/Chardin18.htm