Location of Manufacture: North West Persia, although the term can also describe rugs from villages in the region.

General Description: Old Sarouk rugs, produced up to the end of the 19th Century, are of very high quality. While some Sarouk rugs are produced to traditional designs, many are designed for export and the American market in particular.

Traditional decoration consists of a central medallion and although the designs are fundamentally floral, they are angular in execution. The boteh motif is often used, particularly in older rugs. The border usually consists of two grounds, decorated with rosettes and wavy lines, surrounding a wider central band often decorated with border herati. Modern Sarouks are characterised by a blue weft, whereas old examples have a weft of undyed or very pale blue cotton.

Traditional colours include a ground of orange-red, toned down with ivory, dark blue and green and the frequent use of turquoise in the decoration, while on rugs intended for the Western market, pink is common.

Specification: Loom - vertical. Warp - cotton. Weft - cotton. pile - wool. Knot - Persian, 160 to 400 knots per square inch.