Heriz rugs are among the most recognisable of all Persian carpets: a large, angular medallion set on a field of stylised vines, in a warm palette of terracotta red, ivory and deep blue. They are woven in the Heriz district on the slopes of Mount Sabalan in north-west Iran, where the local wool and copper-rich water are said to give the rugs their strength and colour.
That strength is the point. A Heriz is built to last, which is why it has been the American decorator's favourite Persian rug for over a century and remains ideal for living and dining rooms.
These three weaves share a region and a look but differ in age and refinement. Heriz is the bold, dense medallion type; Serapi is the older, finer, more open version; and Bakshaish is the most tribal and abstract. Many buyers cross-shop all three.
