Design
Many of the field patterns found in
classical Khorasan rugs also appear in other types of Persian
carpets from that era. The compartment, tree, sickle-leaf, and
various lattice patterns can all be found in other major carpet
groups. Even the distinctive pattern of so-called Portugese
carpets, named for the European-style sailing vessels and costume
of the human figures in the corners of the fields, is also found
in carpets from northwestern Iran. Identified only as recently
as Khorasan production, the "Portugese" carpets are
unusual among Khorasan pieces in surviving mostly in complete
form; most classical rugs from Khorasan survive only as fragments.
Pattern is thus not as useful for identifying the specific origin
of a carpet as other features, such as secondary elements of
design, weaving techniques, choice of materials, and colors.
In addition to jufti and offset knotting, classical Khorasan
carpets often feature red outlining of pattern elements; a bluish
red color usually associated with lac, an insect dye from India,
along with the orangish madder red found in most other types
of Persian carpets; and blue-green and orange hues in secondary
design elements.
Carpets known to have been woven in Khorasan in the late 19th
and 20th centuries exhibit many of the same design and technical
features as the earlier Khorasan rugs, thus establishing a rare
direct link connecting classical and more recent production
in one area.