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The Arteverk Rug Encyclopedia · Weave Guide
Where Persia, China and Central Asia met on the Silk Road, a quieter kind of rug was born: the Khotan. Open, calm and a little exotic, with pomegranate vines and Chinese fretwork borders, it is one of the most distinctive — and most modern-feeling — of all the classic weaves. Here is what a Khotan rug actually is, where it comes from, and how to choose one.
A Khotan rug is a hand-knotted wool rug in the design tradition of Khotan, an ancient oasis city on the southern Silk Road in East Turkestan (today Xinjiang, western China), where caravans carried Persian, Chinese and Central Asian style together for two thousand years. A Khotan reads unlike a dense Persian city rug: it is open, calm and uncrowded, with a slightly looser, lustrous weave and signature motifs — pomegranate vines rising from a vase, rows of medallions or guls, and Chinese-influenced cloud bands and key (fretwork) borders — in soft, characterful color (ivory, soft blue, taupe, gold, pomegranate red, sea-glass green) on a light ground. That graphic calm is its distinguishing trait, and why designers call it one of the most modern-feeling classic weaves. The Khotan rugs we carry are new pieces, hand-knotted in wool in Afghanistan in that tradition; to know it's genuine, check that the product page states Origin and a hand-knotted Construction.
A rug born on the Silk Road
Khotan (also spelled Hotan) is an ancient oasis city on the southern Silk Road, in the Tarim Basin of East Turkestan. For two thousand years it was a crossroads — caravans carrying silk, jade and ideas between China and the West passed through its bazaars. The rugs woven there absorbed that mix: the medallions and vines of Persia, the cloud bands and fretwork of China, and the bold guls of the Turkic steppe, all woven by the local weavers of Khotan, Yarkand and Kashgar.
The result is unlike a Persian city rug. A Khotan is open and unhurried — fewer motifs, more breathing room, a slightly looser, lustrous weave. (You will sometimes see these rugs called "Samarkand," after the city they were traded through.) It is that calm, graphic quality that has made Khotan a favorite of modern interior designers.
What makes a rug a "Khotan"
Open, graphic layout
Uncrowded designs with generous space — rows of medallions or guls, a single bold motif, room to breathe.
The pomegranate & vine
The signature Khotan motif: pomegranate vines rising from a vase, a symbol of abundance — alongside lattice and coffered fields.
Silk Road borders
Chinese-influenced details — cloud bands, key (fretwork) borders, swastika-fret and lattice — that set Khotan apart from Persian rugs.
Soft, characterful color
Ivory, soft blue, taupe, gold, pomegranate red and sea-glass green, usually on a light ground.
Where ours are made — honestly
The Silk Road design, hand-knotted today
The Khotan design tradition comes from East Turkestan. The Khotan rugs we carry are new pieces, hand-knotted in wool in Afghanistan in that tradition — capturing the open layouts, pomegranate vines and Silk Road borders, in soft, contemporary-friendly color.
As always, we let the rug's record speak: each product page states the Origin and Construction, so you know exactly what you're buying — a genuine hand-knotted wool rug in the Khotan tradition.
Six in-stock hand-knotted Khotan rugs
Across the full Khotan palette — each a single, hand-knotted, one-of-a-kind piece, woven in wool in Afghanistan.
The Clay Horizon
One of a kind
The Faded Palmette
One of a kind
The Verdigris Lantern
One of a kind
The Mineral Tapestry
One of a kind
The Linen Spire
One of a kind
The Dusk Verse
One of a kindHow to choose a Khotan rug
Choose it for calm and crossover style
A Khotan is the rug for a room that wants pattern without busyness. The open design and soft color make it a designer favorite in modern, transitional and global-eclectic interiors — it carries history while reading almost contemporary.
Let the ground color lead
Light ivory and taupe grounds keep a room airy; blue, rust and sea-glass add a quiet focal point. Because each is one of a kind, see the real colors before you commit — request photos in your light, or book a viewing.
Size it to the space
Khotan weaves room-sized pieces as well as striking long, narrow rugs. See our rug size guide for room-by-room diagrams, and because each is one of a kind, tell us your size and we'll hand-pick the closest pieces.
Caring for a Khotan rug
A hand-knotted wool Khotan ages beautifully with simple care: vacuum gently with the pile, rotate twice a year, use a rug pad, and blot spills immediately rather than rubbing. Our full rug care guide covers everyday care, spills and storage.
Why buy your Khotan from Arteverk
- Honest about origin. The Silk Road design, hand-knotted in Afghanistan today — origin and construction on every page.
- Genuinely one of a kind. Each Khotan is a single hand-knotted piece. When it sells, it is gone.
- A three-generation rug family, since 1970. We make our own hand-knotted lines with master Afghan weavers, finish them at our facilities in Lahore, and sell direct — the collection the trade trusted for fifty years, now straight to you.
- See it before you commit. Book a live video walkthrough from anywhere.
- Nationwide shipping, free. See any rug up close on a live video call — and we ship across the country, free.
Common questions about Khotan rugs
What is a Khotan rug?
A Khotan rug is a hand-knotted wool rug in the tradition of Khotan, an oasis city on the southern Silk Road in East Turkestan (today Xinjiang, western China). Khotan designs are open and calm, blending Persian, Chinese and Central Asian motifs — pomegranate vines, medallion grids, fretwork borders and key patterns — in soft, sparse compositions. The Khotan rugs we carry are new, hand-knotted in Afghanistan in that tradition.
Where do Khotan rugs come from?
The Khotan design comes from the Silk Road oasis towns of East Turkestan (Khotan, Yarkand, Kashgar) — a crossroads of Persian, Chinese and Turkic culture. The Khotan rugs we sell today are hand-knotted in Afghanistan in that tradition; we state each rug's real origin on its page.
What designs are Khotan rugs known for?
Khotan rugs are famous for open, uncrowded layouts: the pomegranate-vine design (vines rising from a vase), rows of medallions or guls, and Chinese-influenced details like cloud bands, fretwork (key) borders and lattice fields. The look is calmer and more graphic than a dense Persian city rug.
What colors do Khotan rugs come in?
Khotan palettes are soft and characterful — ivory, soft blue, taupe, gold, pomegranate red and sea-glass green, often on a light ground. The open design and gentle color make Khotan one of the most modern-feeling of the traditional weaves.
Can I see a Khotan rug before I buy?
Yes — we'll walk you through any piece on a live video call, and every rug ships free with easy returns.
Find your Khotan
Browse our hand-knotted Khotan rugs, or tell us your size and colors and we'll hand-pick a few one-of-a-kind pieces for you.
