Geometric Designs of The Caucasus, Turkey and Persia Village Carpets

Generally rugs are divided into two main categories. They are are either geometric or floral. 

Geometric rugs are characterized by straight lines and come from villages or are made by nomadic tribes. Floral rugs generally come from cities. 

Primitive art in all forms from pottery to statuary to textiles is appreciated the world over and, as would be expected, treasured relics do come from all cultures and civilizations both past and present. 

Caucasian village carpets (from the mountainous area north of Iran) with their lively and bold designs provide a fascinating contrast to the subtle variations evident to the student of fine Turkoman (central Asian) carpets. To the serious antique collector, the cream of this crop are the old pieces - all of which were made for indigenous use or bridal dowries but not for trade or export. 

No summary of village carpets would be complete without reference to the long revered carpets of Herez. With their distinctive medallions and corners, these rugs have become a classic in home decorating throughout the western world. Americans have come to recognize the term Serape as meaning an older Herez with a significantly sparser design and more muted colors.