Hamadan is not one weave but a whole world of them. The city of Hamadan in western Iran — one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — has for centuries acted as the market and collection point for rugs from hundreds of surrounding Kurdish and Turkic villages. Rugs sold as "Hamadan" therefore share a construction more than a single design: a distinctive single-wefted weave that gives them a firm, flat handle and real durability.

Expect bold geometric medallions, camel-ground fields and the Herati design, in warm reds, blues and natural browns. Because so many were woven in long, narrow formats, Hamadan is one of the best places to look for antique runners.