Sarabend.—Like the Feraghan in technique, but they nearly always have the cone pattern in the field, and a wavy stem with dependent cones in the border.
Many are runners (see fig. II).
Sehna.—Very fine texture and short harsh pile : the Sehna knot ; a cotton warp; and one line of weft. They are always small and have often the cone pattern or the herati. The field may have one or more concentric diamond shaped panels but the sub-pat tern runs through all with per haps a change of colouring. The most expensive Persian rugs of their date.
Joshaghan.—Richly coloured rugs with the Ghiordes knot and a silky, lustrous pile. The warp and weft are either of cotton or wool, and there may be two or three lines of weft. The patterns are similar to those of the old Persian floral rugs.
Muskabad.—Large carpets produced in a commercial way near Sultanabad. They are the Persian equivalent of the large Turkey dining-room carpet, but are su perior to it. Cotton warp ; Sehna knot ; and mostly two lines of blue weft. A long and rather silky pile. The colours are mel low and the pattern is mostly a large and graceful floral one.
Varieties are called Sultanabad, Ziegler, Mahal and Savalan.
Kashan.--The best modern Persian carpet. Very finely woven with graceful floral patterns, rather like the Tabriz, but with deeper colouring. The majority are unfortunately chemically washed. Cotton warp; Sehna knot and mostly two lines of blue weft. Very thick in substance and most durable. Many are I made with a silk pile. The Sarouk is very similar but is not so fine and has mostly a white weft.
Shiraz.—An easily recognized type. Woollen warp and two lines of red woollen weft: either kind of knot. The wool is very soft and silky and takes the dyes better than any other, and as a consequence the colouring is very rich and bright. The sides are mostly overcast with red and blue, and the ends often have extra embroidered bands. Tassels are often found along the sides. A common pattern is a large hexagonal panel (see fig. 12), and the cone diaper is also popular. Small devices and birds as found in Caucasian carpets are very frequent. The border mostly has
very angularly-drawn floral forms. A great many saddle-bags are made. Kindred rugs are called Mecca, Niris and Af shah.
Khurasan.—Loosely woven rugs, often large, with a cotton warp, blue weft and the Sehna knot. There is generally a purple tone to the colouring. The herati is a common pattern and curious double cone-devices are almost peculiar to them. One kind is called Herat.
Meshed.—A sub-group of Khurasan rugs, with closer texture and lighter col ours. A pole-medallion on a light field is common (see fig. 13).
Kirman.—Cotton warp ; two or three lines of blue weft; and the Sehna knot.
Finely and closely woven and of medium thickness. They have very naturalistic floral patterns and soft but rich colouring together with several light tints. Some modern ones introduce figure and pictorial subjects that are rarely pleasing.
Kilims.—Tapestry-woven rugs are not largely made in Persia but the few are of very fine texture and have the same kind of patterns as the Sehna rugs.