Gul (elephant foot)

A repeating octagonal or polygonal medallion, usually in rows across the field.

Each tribal group had its own version, so the gul works as a clan or tribal emblem. Protection and status are commonly given as secondary readings.

Diamond and stepped diamond

A lozenge, sometimes stepped or with hooked edges.

Most often described as a protective symbol, sometimes called the eye, meant to ward off the evil eye and keep the household safe.

Repeated small motifs and borders

Rows or bands of the same small shape, framing the field.

Repetition is often read as a kind of woven protection. Borders are described as framing bands that guard the field. This is an interpretation rather than a documented rule.

Paired diamonds (hourglass)

Two diamonds meeting at a point.

Described as union, community and shared protection.

Tree of life

A central trunk with branches, sometimes with leaves, fruit or birds.

Associated with growth, fertility, and continuity of life, and with a link between earth and the divine.

Mihrab (prayer arch)

A pointed or rounded arch at one end of a rug.

Marks the direction of prayer. Often contains lamps, cypress trees or flowers.

Boteh (paisley)

A teardrop or comma shape with a curved tip.

Linked to flame, seed, leaf or cypress imagery, and to eternity, growth and fertility.

Ram's horn

A curling S-shaped or volute form.

Associated with strength, masculinity and protection, reflecting a herding life. Often placed in borders as a guardian.

Hooks and S-shapes

Right-angle hooks and flowing S-curves, mostly in borders.

The S is sometimes read as a solar symbol, and hooks are thought to deflect negative energy.

Zigzag

An angular line, horizontal or diagonal.

Read as mountains when used as a border and as flowing water when diagonal.

Star

A star or rosette form.

Associated with joy, light and happiness.

Elibelinde (hands-on-hips)

A stylized figure with hands on hips.

A fertility symbol tied to womanhood and the continuity of family.

Birds

Abstracted bird shapes.

Different sources describe them as freedom, the human soul, or happiness. There is no single agreed meaning.

Dogs, camels and other animals

Simplified animal figures, often tiny and in rows.

Dogs are read as guardianship in one source, and camels and scorpions as mobility and strength in another. Treat any one meaning as one view among several.

Floral motifs

Flowers, blossoms and vines.

Associated with fertility and abundance in general terms.

Geometric patterns in general

Angular, repeating shapes.

Described as reflecting the nomadic way of life, or as a weaver's personal artistic signature. Baluch geometric designs are often linked to protection and cultural heritage.

Diamond lattice (Moroccan trellis)

An open grid of diamonds, often drawn loosely and in a single color on a pale or dark ground.

In Berber weaving, lozenges and lattices are often read as protection and as a nod to fertility and family life. These are popular readings, and weavers differ on specifics, so describe the pattern first and the meaning only as "often read as".

Biljik layout (Khal Mohammadi)

Rows of stylized floral and geometric motifs repeated across a deep red field, framed by narrow borders.

Biljik is the name of the design rather than a symbol with a documented meaning. It is described as drawing on nature, with stylized flowers and geometric forms laid out in a regular grid.

Bokhara gul grid

Rows and columns of the same octagonal gul, with small diamonds between them.

The gul is a tribal emblem, and the strict grid is what defines the Bokhara layout. Describe the symmetry and repetition, and keep any meaning to "the gul is a tribal emblem."

Central medallion

A large shape in the center of the field, often with matching corner pieces.

Persian medallions are described in various ways, including a dome, a flower, or a sun, and none of these is documented as the weaver's intent. Use it as a visual description.

Herati / Mahi (fish) pattern

A repeating lozenge with a flower inside, flanked by curved leaves, covering the field.

Herati is the traditional name, and in Persian rugs it is often called Mahi, meaning "fish", after the leaf shapes. The name is documented, but no particular symbolic meaning is, so use the name and describe the look.

Lattice of small crosses and diamonds (Balochi)

Plus-shaped and diamond motifs set in an all-over grid of bright colors.

Baluch geometric patterns are often linked to protection and cultural heritage, but this is a general reading and not tied to a specific motif.

Example: A3271, Abusson Pak-Persian Afton Rust/Taupe Wool Rug

Medallion with corner pieces

A large shape at the center of the field, repeated in quarter form in the four corners.

A classic Persian layout, often described as a dome seen from below, a flower, or a sun. None of these is documented as the weaver's intent, so describe the layout first and the reading second.

Example: A5244, Istanbul Jerrell Tan/Gray Wool Rug

Garden compartments (Bakhtiari / paradise garden)

The field divided into a grid of small panels, each filled with a tree, flower or plant.

Commonly described as a stylized garden, drawing on the Persian idea of a walled paradise garden. This reading is widely repeated in books and by retailers.

Example: A12920, Antique Ethnic Turkish Tiny Handwoven Kilim Runner

Stripes and bands

Horizontal or vertical bands of color, sometimes with narrow patterned stripes between them.

A basic structure of nomadic flat weaves, where each band is woven across the width in one pass. It is mostly decorative, so describe it visually and avoid giving it a meaning.

Example: A5750, Bohemian Kazak Tribal Paityn Red/Beige Wool Rug

Kazak medallion layout

A bold central medallion, often flanked by smaller ones, on a field with a wide border.

Kazak rugs are known for bold, large-scale layouts, and the types are traditionally named for Caucasian districts and villages. Describe the layout and avoid assigning meanings to the medallion shapes.

Example: A5163, Soumak Sal Rust/Ivory Wool Rug

Large octagon guls in a quartered layout

A few big octagonal medallions, each divided into quarters, on a deep red ground.

A form of the gul, the emblem tribal groups used to identify a clan. The large, quartered octagon is a recognizable Turkmen layout, though attribution to a single tribe is not always certain.

Traditional

Classic Persian and Oriental layouts: a central medallion or an all-over floral field, framed by several border bands.

Rich reds, blues, creams and earth tones, with curving vines, palmettes and medallions. In our catalog this covers the Traditional, Pak Persian, Ziegler and Persian collections. When describing, name the layout first (medallion or all-over), then the border and palette.

Tribal

Geometric designs rooted in nomadic and village weaving: gul grids, diamonds and bold medallions in saturated colors.

Lines are more hand-drawn and less symmetrical than in city-workshop rugs. In our titles, "tribal" describes the style, not a documented tribe, so avoid attributing a rug to a specific group unless the source says so. Covers Kazak, Balochi, Khal Mohammadi, Bokhara, Khurgeen and many Kilims.

Modern

Abstract, minimalist or contemporary designs: stripes, nets, color fields, shag and bold graphic geometry.

Often a limited palette and a lot of open space, and mostly flat weave or shag. These designs do not carry traditional symbolism, so describe the look and the room it suits. Covers Modern Kilim, Moroccan, Balochi Modern and Dhuri.

Transitional

Traditional motifs, simplified or softened: vines, florals and medallions with more open space and quieter colors.

A bridge between classic and contemporary decor. In our catalog, most Transitional rugs are Pak Persian pieces with William Morris-style vines and flowers, in muted or unexpected colors. Describe them as classic designs in a fresher palette.

Are Moroccan-style rugs made in Morocco?

No. Our Moroccan-style rugs are hand knotted in Pakistan, and a few in Afghanistan, in a design inspired by Berber weaving. The Origin line in each product's details tells you where it was made.

What is the difference between Persian and Pak Persian?

Persian rugs are made in Iran. Pak Persian rugs are hand knotted in Pakistan in classic Persian designs, using the Persian single knot.

What does vegetable dyed mean?

The wool is colored with dyes made from plants, roots and other natural sources, instead of synthetic dyes. The colors tend to be softer and can vary slightly across the rug.

What is the difference between hand knotted and hand woven?

A hand knotted rug has a pile made of individually tied knots. A hand woven rug, such as a kilim, is flat-woven without knots and has no pile.

Will the rug look exactly like the photo?

Very close, but not identical. Each rug is handmade, and screens vary, so small differences in shade and detail are normal.

What about shipping and returns?

Every rug ships free to the contiguous U.S. and can be returned within 14 days. See the Shipping and Returns page for details.

Guard stripes

Thin parallel bands running along each side of the main border.

These frame the main border and give the rug a clean edge. They are a structural feature and carry no documented meaning.

Running dog (meander)

A repeating wave or S-shaped line that runs continuously around the border.

Often read as water or as continuity, because the line never breaks. This is a popular reading.

Reciprocal (sawtooth) border

Interlocking triangles or notches that form a zigzag edge.

Common on Caucasian and Kazak rugs. It is a decorative pattern, and it is best described by its look.

Rosette and vine border

Flowers or rosettes connected by a winding vine.

Associated with growth and abundance in general terms, and common on Persian and Pak Persian rugs.