Indian Heriz Red/Navy Wool Runner

Heriz rugs, which originate from the Heriz area of eastern Azerbaijan, are immediately recognizable carpets that feature a large central medallion with angular designs that reinforce and enlarge the central theme. A large central stepped medallion with corners or an all over design of highly stylized floral motifs is typical. The wool used in Heriz carpets is unusually resilient as a result of environmental factors in the area that produce trace amounts of copper in the drinking water that act as a natural mordant and dye fixative.

Heriz rugs are coarsely woven, featuring classic colorways with warm reds, greens, deep blues, and ivory highlights. Unlike many areas of Iran, rugs from Heriz are often made with the symmetric knot. The coarseness of the weave reinforces and enhances the geometric designs of the carpets. Variants of the Heriz design hail from neighboring villages in northwestern Iran, including Afshar, Mehraban, Sarab, Bakhshaish, and Gorevan, and often take the name of the village from which they arise.